The Tin Can Island and RORO ports Police Command have highlighted some of the challenges faced by officers operating at the port.
The commands have said that shortage of manpower at the port has posed a major security challenge, saying that there is the need for more officers to be deployed to the Tin Can Island port.
The Tin Can Island and RORO ports Police Command have highlighted some of the challenges faced by officers operating at the port.
The commands have said that shortage of manpower at the port has posed a major security challenge, saying that there is the need for more officers to be deployed to the Tin Can Island port.
This was disclosed by the Divisional Police Officer of the command, Mr. Olusegun Ajamolaya when the Commissioner of Police, Western Authority Port Mr. Kayode Aderanti paid a courtesy visit to the Tin Can Island port in Lagos yesterday.
Apart from shortage of personnel, Ajamolaya, who spoke for the two commands also stated that lack of operational patrol vehicles have also affected police operations at the port.
"The recent demobilisation of personnel of the command has affected the development of the manpower to cover our allotted beats and vulnerable points"
"The total strength of RORO division is now 65 out of which 5 are sent to the command headquarters every week on special duties and 12 of this strength cannot bear arms or be deployed on night duties for reasons of their gender"
"Same apply to the Tin Can Island division in which 10 out of 54 manpower cannot also bear arms and it is my humble request that the commissioner of police, as a short time solution, to look into the distribution of personnel in the command to address the shortfalls while awaiting the audit command manpower requirement”, he advised.
According to him, the RORO command received one patrol vehicle from MRS Oil and Gas Limited about five years ago while Tin Can Island command has none.
He explained that request were made to stakeholders operating at the port as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, but only MRS Oil and Gas responded to their calls.
Ajamolaya implored the commissioner to raise the issue during his interaction with maritime stakeholders and the Nigeria Ports Authority.
He added that traffic gridlock along the expressway is also a factor affecting police operations at the port.
"It is good to note in conclusion that all the officers and men as enumerated above, the officers and men of the two divisions will continue to exhibit high level of professionalism in the performance of our duties with a sense of responsibility and we promise to sustain and improve on the standard for the overall performance of the command in particular and the police force in general", he stated.
According to him, other challenges faced by officers at port include, lack of communication gadgets for officers, lack of power supply at the two commands, and poor water supply and kits.
Responding to the challenges faced by officers at Tin Can Island port, the Commissioner assured that he would the request across when meeting the management of NPA.
Aderanti said that officers and men of the police do not need to request for tools for their operations, adding that communication gadgets is important for their operations.
"It is embarrassing , very very embarrassing that officers in the port do not have single operational serviceable vehicles at the port"
" We don't have tools to work in a sensitive environment , I don't think we should operate at the port without the necessary tools, we are supposed to have an adequate communication network in the port", he said.
Aderanti noted that the shortage of manpower at the command will be taken care of soonest.
He appealed to the officers and men at the port to endure on the challenges, adding that plans are underway to meet with NPA management.
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