Dockworkers not paid from pension funds - Abdul Salam

Dele Aderibigbe, Lagos

Prince John Okechukwu,
Minister of State for Water
Transport

The N2.6 billion paid as severance package to dis-engaged dockworkers in compliance with the direc-tives from the last administration, was not made from the pension funds of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority Western Ports, Mallam Abdul Salam Mohammed, who disclosed this while briefing the Minister of State for Water Transportation, Prince John Okeychukwu Emeka, observed that the payment was effected from other government approved funds, in compliance with directives issued by the Presidential Task Force on Port Reforms for the payment of N2, 606,600,000 to 13,033 dockworkers, adding that about 11,580 of them have since been paid.

Mallam Abdul Salam said that the government however discovered that about 1,600 dockworkers were not captured during the verification exercise, hence the directive to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to identify and rectify the anomaly, via the submission of an appropriate proposal for consideration for payment.

He highlighted further that though the NPA operated a pension fund, which was capable of fulfilling its payment obligations to its over 8,000 pensioners as at when due, it nonetheless in actuarial valuation, indicated a deficit of N56bn, and for which the Government had directed that the deficit be funded from the proceeds realised from the ongoing sales of non-core assets of the Authority.

It will be recalled that the issues of payment of N2.6 billion was first announced by former Managing Director, Chief Adebayo Babatunde Sarumi, on behalf of Presidential Task Force on Port Reforms at a meeting with the Executives of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN in Lagos.

Sarumi stated that the Federal Government has graciously accepted to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) flat rate to the 13,000 registered, bonafide, Dockworkers, irrespective of length of service, noting that this was a significant increase from the N40,000 flat rate previously granted by the Dockworkers.

The payments, he further observed, would be made by port location, starting from Apapa Port.

SONCAP: NAGAFF begins importers enlightenment campaigns

Odusina Emmanuel,
Minister of State for Energy (Gas)

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, has begun a public enlightenment for its principal importers utilising its members services on the need for conformity with the assessment requirements of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, also known as the SONCAP.

The Chairman of the trustee for NAGAFF, Chief Boniface Aniebonam, who disclosed this at the weekend, urged the media to support them to prevent loss of the average importers investments, as a result of having imported substan He maintained that if the SON sets a Nigerian quality standard, which the local manufacturing concerns must comply with, then there is no way that prices of goods would not soar, reasoned further that such reality was also capable of encouraging the average citizens to go after cheaper, imported items, even if they were fake.

Dr. Aniebonam observed that one of the greatest impediments to trade in the country now was the inability of the local manufacturing industry to effectively compete with its foreign counterparts, a fact which he noted had further fuelled the desire for relatively cheap articles, at the expense of quality.

The economy would never improve if the country is allowed to become a dumping ground for imported, substandard goods. Yet, when Nigeria destroys its imported items, it is the country that loses. The Central Bank loses its foreign exchange, just as the Nigerian business class forfeit its investments. So you can now see why the freight forwarders as professionals must see the need to educate the principals, he said, adding that agents would be the greater loser, should the SON also join the fray of organisations which constantly destroy impounded items.