FEAR GRIPS NPA AS BPE EMBARKS ON CONCESSION OF MARINE SERVICES

• Hundreds to lose their jobs

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has concluded plans to further strip the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) of some of its remaining core functions. This has expectedly pitched the workers against the bureau.
Even though, BPE conveyed its intention to privatise marine services at the ports to NPA on January 18, 2013 via a letter that was signed by its acting director general; Mr Benjamin Ezra Dikki, Shipping Position Daily confirmed authoritatively last week that plans to carry out the exercise had been hatched for about three years and that recent developments in NPA were meant to clear to coast for the actualization of the plot.
Our correspondent also confirmed that, if it sails through no fewer than about 1000 employees may be asked to go. They are those whose services are connected to marine and operations, engineering and traffic, both at the headquarters, the zones and the ports. Specifically, services like pilotage, towage, berthing, dredging and mooring amonst others are to be given out.
Sources at the ministry of transport confided in Shipping Position Daily last week that “there is nothing anyone can do about it, the ministry is on the same page with the BPE on this and I know that the management of NPA is also in agreement”.
In an apparent reaction to the press conference that was held last week by the senior staff association on NPA, the senior personnel at the ministry accused the workers’ leaders of playing the ostrich.
“They (the unions) can not tell me that they are unaware of this until last week, where were they two years ago when the idea came up again, where were they when the BPE started poking its nose into the affairs of NPA, even after the concessioning was completed, did they forget that, there were plans to concession marine services in 2006 too”, asked.
After the concessioning of the ports in 2006, about 8000 workers were affected.

Shipping Position Daily recalls that President of NPA branch of Senior Staff Association of Communication, Transport and Corporation (SSACTAC), Jimoh Omeiza Umar told the press last week that about 4000 workforce are anxious about their future
He had told journalists last week that the association would not allow BPE to have its way, and alleged that a cabal is behind the plot.
"BPE cannot point us toward another security situation. The country has witnessed enough insecurity in the recent past. With her marine and harbours in the hands of private operators, one can imagine the chaos this will trigger security-wise. Gideon Okar's coup issue should be remembered. But we will not allow that to happen" Umar vowed.
According to him, "as usual the BPE is still the dreadful dragon saddled with the responsibility of carrying out the concessioning of already concessioned port activities. Your guess is as good as mine that the BPE is fronting for some cabal this time around and not the federal government led by our President Goodluck Jonathan,"