The zonal Vice President, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Eastern zone, Comrade Waite Harry, has called on concessionaires of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Port Harcourt  to redouble their efforts for cargo ships to come into the ports.

Comrade Harry, who made the call in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt on Tuesday , said the current low patronage was becoming a great concern to the union.

He said although efforts made to lure importers  to patronise Port Harcourt port and other Eastern Ports in general were thwarted by some authorities, efforts should be redoubled for more patronage.

According to him, a situation where mostly fish and rice were the only cargoes handled  at the Port Harcourt Ports was not the best, saying that manpower and security level at the port were high.

The union boss however, expressed optimism that things would soon change and called on the authorities to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Port Harcourt Ports bounced back to their former status.

On the purported non-payment  of arrears to tally clerks and dockworkers in the ports, Comrade Harry said the management was not owing any of its workers.

He said the workers were paid their entitlements recently, and that whatever was the balance would be settled when the headquarters approved such payment, because it is a government project and moreso,  it is a national  issue as ports do not negotiate salaries or entitlement”.

The zonal vice president called on the workers to go about their normal duties assuring that the union will always protect their welfare.

Collins Barasimeye