Following the recent termination of contracts by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) with the Integrated Logistics Services Limited (INTELS), the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners has applauded the move saying that no contract is above review.
The association who spoke to Shipping Position Daily recently in Lagos said that if NPA feels that there is need for them to review the contract they have signed with anybody or group them are free to do so.
Speaking during the chat, the National President of the association, Captain Joseph Awodeha, said that circumstances will determine if contract should be continued or terminated.
“You know I hate to be talking about things I don’t have complete details on I have not really been around so I don’t know much about that. But I believe that any contract is subject to be reviewed so if NPA feel compelled to review any contract they have signed with anybody they are free to do that. Circumstances must dictate what you want to do with the contract you signed with anybody either you want to continue or you want to terminate. So I think reviewing the contract is a normal thing. You don’t blackmail people because of contract, all the people they said that will lose their jobs were they employed because of that particular job with INTELS. There are a number of services that INTELS provides, but my question is the number they said that will lose their jobs were they working on the pilotage arm of the firm if they said yes, they have to see it and prove it”
He also pleaded with INTELS to give NPA a conducive atmosphere to review the contract.
“For me there is not live contract every contract is subject to be reviewed. If NPA has reasons to review the contract, you have to give them smooth atmosphere for discussions and re-negotiation and whatever needs to be done will be done for both parties to be comfortable. Anybody that is not making is comfortable for that review to take place must have something in mind. So if you ask me I don’t know the details but I am looking at the surface of it that any contract has to provide atmosphere for review if necessary. NPA is asking for review now it could have been INTELS asking for the review why will NPA not sit down for review if the reverse was to be the case? In terms of the people that would be out of job, is not even the piloting that INTELS do for NPA, they only collect money and anybody can do that. My question is are all these people INTELS said will be out of job collecting money, so you don’t threaten that people will be out of job” he concluded.
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