Business activities at the
Lagos ports were last Thursday paralysed by a protest by the 2006/2007 retirees of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over their non-inclusion in the pension scheme.
Our correspondent reports that hundreds of the retirees barricaded the entrance of the NPA gate leading to the various terminals at about 6.00a.m.
Some of their placards read: “Enough is enough”, “NPA pay us our money”, “Adebayo Sarumi is on pension”, “What is our offence?”, “Our members are dying” and “Pay us our entitlement”.
The obstruction made it impossible for thousands of workers, who arrived early for work, to gain access to the various terminals.
Our correspondent reports that the peaceful protest caused long traffic snarl, while many commuters going to the Wharf were forced to trek.
Buses carrying workers to the terminals were also stranded as they could not enter the ports.
Some of the retirees told our correspondent that they decided to protest because the management of NPA had refused to listen to their demand in spite of their letters and pleas.
Mrs Kafayat Bello, a retiree said “our children are out of school, our members are dying and we have been pleading with NPA management, but nothing has been done”.
Bello said that many of the retirees who laboured for the NPA had died without getting their benefits.
Mr Aluku Silva, General Secretary 2006/2007 Retirees Association, said that the disengaged workers would continue to protest until their demands were met.
Silva said that the retirees were demanding for their inclusion in the defined benefit pension scheme.
“We also ask NPA management to ensure the payment of 10 per cent pension and gratuity for premature retirees according to a circular dated May 14, 2008,’’ Silva said.
He said it was regrettable that several letters written to the management were not replied and no reason was given for delaying the payment of their entitlements.
Our correspondent reports that the NPA management and representatives of the retirees later went into a meeting to resolve the issue.
Mr Iheanacho Ebubeogwu, General Manager (Public Affairs) in NPA, had told our correspondent on Wednesday that the authority would produce a report on ways to settle the retirees in two weeks time.