Security Officers Demand Better Working Conditions At Ports

Terminal security guards at
the Lagos Ports have called for improved working conditions to enable them put in their best at work.
The guards, in separate interviews with newsmen recently in Lagos, said that they had been working as contract staff for many years now.
According to most of them, some of the infractions committed by their members at work could be attributed to shabby treatment being meted out on them by the terminal owners.
Mr Nelson Okorafor and Mr Sule Dawudu, both of the Square Terminal, Kirikiri, were of the view that with proper incentives, cargoes under their purview would be secured.
“We have families that we are taking care of, but our employers are treating us as unimportant personnel, without recourse to the value of the goods they entrust in our care,’’ said Okorafor.
According to Dawudu, “It is pretty difficult for a guard on contract to enjoy most of the privileges being accorded to other staff, most of who do not interface with sensitive tasks like that of the security personnel.”
He appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other regulatory bodies to prevail on terminal owners to see reason for their better welfare.
Mr Boniface Akujobi, of the Advanced Motor Logistics Terminal, said that guards were subjected to inhuman treatments on daily basis, making them to execute their jobs with bottled anger.
“It is high time terminal owners recognised the importance of guards in the terminals that harbour goods worth billions of naira.
“Incidents of thievery, vandalisation and outright diversion will not stop until officers that guard the place are properly looked after.
“The requisite exercises and routine training meant to keep guards alert to their duties have been jettisoned by operators, to cut costs.
“Most of us do not understand the terrain in which we work. So, for such one to commit infractions becomes the tradition,’’ said Akujorobi.
He said that empty promises by facility owners had become their lot, especially with the dwindling fortunes in the sector in recent times.
A manager with the Sapid Bonded Terminal, Mr Solomon Steven, said most terminal managers now face a lot of constraints to absorb contract guards as staff.
“Many of us hardly take delivery of cargoes from the port in six months. Therefore, where will the management get the money to take care of such routine staff?’’ he wondered.
Our source reports that the newly-inaugurated Port Facility Security Officers of Nigeria (PFSON) was set up to ensure adequate security of ports facilities through the enforcement of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Code.