Less than four weeks after the Delta state government intervened in age long rift between the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) and indigenous pilots in Delta state, NPA has disowned the group which goes under the name; Niger Delta River Pilots Services Nig. Ltd. (NDRPSNL).
Recently, the umbrella body for the pilots, the Niger-Delta River Pilots Association had openly acknowledged the intervention of the state governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in the rift over pilotage of vessels from Escravos Bar to Benneth Island and from Escravos Bar to Koko.
In a letter of notification of the resolution of the issue addressed to Governor Uduaghan which was sighted by Shipping Position Weekly and which was signed by association’s Managing Director, Captain Charles Tobi, it commended the governor for his intervention, which according to the group, contributed to the settlement of the long dispute.
Our source confirmed that part of the resolution was that a roster of the local pilots of Escravos will be compiled and sent to the NPA harbour master at Warri port for verification of persons going on board vessels at any time, while local pilots should always put on their official uniform anytime they were on duty.
Recently, the umbrella body for the pilots, the Niger-Delta River Pilots Association had openly acknowledged the intervention of the state governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in the rift over pilotage of vessels from Escravos Bar to Benneth Island and from Escravos Bar to Koko.
In a letter of notification of the resolution of the issue addressed to Governor Uduaghan which was sighted by Shipping Position Weekly and which was signed by association’s Managing Director, Captain Charles Tobi, it commended the governor for his intervention, which according to the group, contributed to the settlement of the long dispute.
Our source confirmed that part of the resolution was that a roster of the local pilots of Escravos will be compiled and sent to the NPA harbour master at Warri port for verification of persons going on board vessels at any time, while local pilots should always put on their official uniform anytime they were on duty.
NPA was said to have however refused o be responsible for the remuneration of the local pilots.
But in a complete turn around from the purported agreement, NPA has dissociated itself from any agreement saying that it was not ready to abdicate its responsibility to any group.
In a statement titled “re: compulsory pilotage regime in warri pilotage
district – a rejoinder”, NPA maintained that “at no time did Management of the Authority hold any meeting with this group with intent to endorse act of illegality of allowing anybody to breach the law of the country by carrying out illegal pilotage within compulsory pilotage district”.
But in a complete turn around from the purported agreement, NPA has dissociated itself from any agreement saying that it was not ready to abdicate its responsibility to any group.
In a statement titled “re: compulsory pilotage regime in warri pilotage
district – a rejoinder”, NPA maintained that “at no time did Management of the Authority hold any meeting with this group with intent to endorse act of illegality of allowing anybody to breach the law of the country by carrying out illegal pilotage within compulsory pilotage district”.
Quoting form the NPA Act, the agency argued that “compulsory pilotage is a statutory responsibility vested on NPA by Ports Acts of 1999 as amended, Cap. N126 and Compulsory Pilotage Districts (Establishment) Order of 1996 in accordance with Nigerian Ports Decree of 1993, which is in line with international shipping practices”.
Insisting that the activities of the NDRPSNL is illegal, NPA maintained that the “Federal Government through NPA will not allow illegal pilotage in any of the four compulsory Pilotage District namely, Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar Pilotage Districts” and that “only licenced NPA pilots are authorised by law to pilot vessels in these pilotage districts”.
The NPA also accused the group of constituting itself into an alternative pilotage body and using that to aid illegal shipping operations through nefarious activities.
Sources however hinted last week that the intervention by governor Uduaghan was based on appeal fro political forces who wanted to make a political statement from the face off.
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