Adewale Adeyanju (President, Dockworkers Branch, Maritime Workers Union)
It is not true that we don't have a data base of our dockworkers, we have a data base for all dockworkers all over the seaport now, and this was what formed the basis of giving letters of employment to the real dockworkers. The way the job is going now, you cannot just come in and say you want to be a dock worker without following the basic procedures. What NIMASA is trying to do now is a welcome idea, we have been having the idea in the past, but now that the DG is coming with it we will support it. Before now, we had multiple registration of dockworkers, but now, things have changed, you cannot just go to any terminal now for employment; each terminal operator now knows how many workers they can manage. Presently, I cannot give you the number of dockworkers because it changes, some terminals have downsized, but the number is above 5,000.
Otunba Kunle Folarin (Chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council)
By the NIMASA Act, NIMASA is in charge of regulating dockworkers and before you can say you are a dockworker you must be registered with them, but for convenience sake and to ensure nobody is left out and touts don't come in and register without training, they started taking the dock cap from those who are employed by terminal operators, after this, NIMASA registers them. In order to ensure that the people registered are authentic dockworkers, NIMASA must give them bio-metric ID cards, don't forget that sometimes the cards would have to be disconnected when the dockworker is disengaged. So, I can tell you that NIMASA has a data base of dockworkers since 10 years ago, but it is a dynamic instrument and not something that you do once, it must be done continuously.
John Okpono (Asst. Sec, Merchant Navy Senior Staff)
The problem we are having as far as dockworkers are concerned is that, NIMASA has not given recognition to the union, as far as we are concerned the dockworkers are a branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, therefore it is the right of NIMASA to deal with the union. Before now, the dockworkers have their own pool where NIMASA supposed to walk into and get them, but all of a sudden NIMASA said they are registering, meanwhile some of the people they registered are not known to the union. If we must meet the standard of what is obtainable in other parts of the world, then NIMASA must be able to synergise with the dockworkers branch of the MWUN so that when there is need for job placement, they will look up to the union and the pool. I believe the union is closer to the dockworkers than NIMASA.
Sampson Chima (Registrar, Nigerian Institute of Shipping)
It is the function of NIMASA to manage dockworkers, I believe it is exhaustive to have a complete data of dockworkers before now, but if NIMASA is unable to have such data now, then there must be something wrong somewhere and lacking, if NIMASA cannot give us the complete number of dockworkers in the country, it means they are lacking in one of their major responsibilities. However, what they want to do now by having a statistics and issuing biometric cards to all the dockworkers is commendable, it is very important and timely, there would be a level of control and it is also very important in terms of security.
Raphael Oyinloye (Security Expert)
It is a welcome idea and we know with bio metric initiative by NIMASA will further reduce human contacts at the terminals because it is not every one that claim to be dockworker that is truly is. Apart from the entry ID cards which the terminal operators use as entry for the dockworkers, I think the bio metric Identity will further help to prone down who is indeed an authentic labour worker and I believe since NIMASA is the DA, it is possible to carry the bio metric exercise successfully.
Comrade Matthew Adele (Dockworkers)
NIMASA might encounter some level of difficulties in the process of the new bio metric because a large number of the workers are no longer in possession of the old one. The agency may have the capacity to carry out the scheme, but my concern is that we have legitimate workers who have misplaced the previous bio metric ID card which might affect NIMASA in doing a good job to ascertain their set objective.
Dr. Zebulon Ikokide (Maritime Expert)
NIMASA has what it takes to issue biometric to dockworkers in this current dispensation. Mind you, it has been in existence before now but I would love to advise further that the move to put in place a new database for the labour workers should be based on entry into the ports; whereby once they get to the ports, they should slot the electronic bio metric cards before they can gain access into the ports and I think that process will further enhance NIMASA decision to create a database for them. NIMASA has done before and can still do it this time around the structure and capability is on ground for effective performance of the project. They is need to constantly review the bio metric identity card of the dockworkers but sometimes ,it is difficult to know who is authentic and who is not.
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