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Unions Move To Sanitise Maritime Sector

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7 years ago

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Truck owners, drivers and other stakeholders in the maritime sector have formed a new union, Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations, (COMTUA) aimed at sanitising the sector and getting them required recognition from the government.
COMTUA is a coalition of six existing unions in the maritime sector, namely Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association, and Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners.
Others are Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, National Union of Road Transport Workers (Heavy duty section) and Association of Maritime Truck Owners.
Shortly before embarking on a sensitisation rally to the ports in Apapa and Tin Can and its environs, the General Coordinator of COMTUA, Mr Stephen Okafor, told our correspondent that all the unions and associations that formed the new association were critical stakeholders in the maritime sector.
He noted that they came together in order to forge a common front towards solving the challenges confronting them while carrying out their business.
Okafor said there were challenges of the stakeholders contending with gridlock, bad roads, endless queues to discharge empty containers to shipping companies and alleged extortion of truck drivers at the precincts of ports at Apapa and Tin Can.
He added that the government would take the unions more seriously as they all had representatives in COMTUA.
He said: “All the unions and associations that formed the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations are stakeholders in the maritime sector. We have the truck owners, workers, drivers or other stakeholders in that sector.
“The government has been desirous of us coming together in order to be able to present a common front whenever we require anything from the government, in terms of creating enabling environment for our business to thrive.
“There are challenges of bad roads and gridlock around the Apapa ports. Trucks queue endlessly at the Apapa axis for weeks in a bid to drop empty containers to the shipping companies. Some of the shipping companies don’t have holding bays. Our members pay demurrage for this delay. We have come together to address the challenges facing us at the ports, terminals and on the roads.”
The Deputy Head of Operations, COMTUA, Mr Omotayo Stephens, said due to the delay at the ports, the unions lost no fewer than 35 truck drivers in 2018. He explained that sometimes it took some drivers three weeks to drop empty containers at the holding bays of the shipping companies. He said, “Some of the drivers died on the wheel due to stress, no fewer than 35 of them died last year. “

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Maritime

NPA Vows To Sustain Sanity On Port Access Roads  ……Deploys ETO To Enhance Truck Movement 

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5 days ago

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November 3, 2025

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The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reiterated it’s commitment to preventing a return to the severe Apapa gridlock that previously plaqued the Lagos ports access roads.
It said the electronic truck call- up system ( ETO) has been recently reviewed and enhanced to integrate terminal gates directly with the ETO platform.
Speaking in reaction to media reports on the resurgence of gridlock on port access roads, Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Adebowale Lawal, said the NPA, in line with its mandate to ensure the smooth operation of port activities and the free flow of traffic around the Apapa Port Complex corridor, remained fully committed to maintaining order and preventing any reoccurrence of the gridlock previously experienced along the access roads.
“We have recently undertaken a review and enhancement of the ETO system, which now integrates Terminal Gates directly with the ETO platform.
“This integration is designed to provide a structured sequencing of truck movements, both inbound and outbound within the Apapa Port Complex.
“The objective of this initiative is to ensure transparency, improve traffic efficiency, and maintain a sustainable operating environment around the ports.
“However, the success of this system depends largely on the cooperation and compliance of all Stakeholders, including Terminal Operators, Transport Unions, Drivers, Clearing Agents, and Government Agencies (Both Federal and State).
“Sequencing truck entry and exit is not rocket science. With sincerity of purpose and commitment from all concerned, we can achieve and maintain orderliness and prevent a return to the chaotic conditions of the past.
“It is in our best interest, because smooth Ingress and Egress of Trucks will, in the long run, bring about high turnover for all stakeholders,” he stated.
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Maritime

DANTSOHO Calls For Synergy In Revamping Nation’s Ports

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5 days ago

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November 3, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority(NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has called for synergy in revamping the nation’s ports.
Dantsoho made the call shortly after the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He insisted that without collaboration amongst major actors little or nothing would be achieved in revamping the ports
“Until there is collaboration and partnership you cannot achieve efficiency at the ports”, he said.
Dantsoho highlighted steps taken by the Ports Authority to address bottlenecks faced by importers and exporters at the nation’s ports.
The MD said the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee established by the NPA is recording huge successes through the joint inspection and boarding by relevant agencies operating in the area.
He identified adoption of technology, improvement in infrastructure, human capacity building, equipment and tools, as areas that could be improved to enhance port efficiency.
This, according to him, would ensure that Nigeria remains competitive and relevant in the sub-region, continent and beyond.
Speaking at the event, the Director –  General, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Zahrah Audu, called for collective resolve among stakeholders to improve port operations, making cargo clearance faster and more efficient.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee, Audi however, decried the losses incurred as a result of the inefficiency at the nation’s ports,
Audu described the committee as a platform that represents not only interagency collaboration but a shared commitment to making Nigeria’s ports globally competitive, transparent, and efficient.
By: Chinedu Wosu
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Maritime

Customs To Partner NAPTIP On Human Trafficking Menace 

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5 days ago

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November 3, 2025

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The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) said it will collaborate with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in combating human trafficking and the illegal trade in endangered species.
The Comptroller General Cust oms, Adewale Adeniyi stated this while playing host to the Courtesy Visit by a delegation from NAPTIP, in his office, in Abuja.
He noted that Nigeria’s security challenges require joint action, as the Service does not view crimes solely through the lens of smuggling but through broader national security implications.
Adeniyi said “We believe in the power of collaboration,We can achieve more with less when we work together.”
The Comptroller General revealed that the Service has intensified its work on environmental sustainability and the enforcement of international conventions regarding flora and fauna, assured the delegation that Customs will fully collaborate on the upcoming national dialogue on human trafficking and stowaway incidents, scheduled for February 2026.
He pledged to provide technical expertise, intelligence sharing, and access to the Service’s training curriculum to strengthen inter-agency understanding of trafficking dynamics.
“We will accept your request for partnership unconditionally”
” We will work with your designated officials on the February summit and explore wider interventions that reinforce national security”, he stated.
Adeniyi commended the delegation for their continued service to the country and assured them of Customs’ unwavering support.
Earlier, the Director General, NAPTIP, Binta Adamu, expressed delight at securing formal engagement with the Customs Service.
She stated that NAPTIP was eager to strengthen operational partnerships, particularly in areas such as intelligence exchange, policy development, and cross-border enforcement.
In her words, “I am happy today that I finally made it here and held this discussion with the Comptroller-General. We are a law enforcement agency with mandates to prevent, prosecute and protect as partnership with Customs is essential for our work”
She noted that human trafficking continues to evolve, requiring close coordination among agencies operating at Nigeria’s multiple entry and exit points.
Also Speaking former Director with NIMASA; Hajia Lami Tumaka, said the visit was to seek Customs’ partnership for a one-day national policy dialogue on human trafficking by sea and stowaway incidents.
Tumaka described Customs as a “strategic player in border management and maritime enforcement,” adding that its involvement is critical to the success of the dialogue.
“Your officers are often the first line of defence against illicit movement of goods and persons. Your expertise and nationwide presence are indispensable”, she said.
By: Chinedu Wosu
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