NPA MD staves off planned truckers strike

Maureen Aguta

In an interventionist move calculated to stop impending national economic shut down, the Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Monday, staved off the planned strike action by the Consortium of trucking unions and associations under the aegis of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

Appealing to the maritime workers during the meeting, Dantsoho who was represented by the Executive Director Marine & Operations, Engr. Olalekan Badmus, said: “We will work with the Lagos State Government and the Police High Command to urgently address your concerns and prevent any down tool by a critical aspect of the ports logistics value chain that the maritime trucking community constitute. The national economy cannot afford any shutdown at this time”.

The meeting which culminated in the signing of a communique addressing the truckers’ grievances and subsequent suspension of planned strike action, had in attendance the Special Adviser on Transportation to the Lagos State Governor , Hon. Sola Giwa, Lagos Commissioner of Police and the Port Authority Police Command, the National President Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) Chief Remi Ogungbemi, the General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Bakare Oki Olalekan, Chairperson  of the Corporate Fleet Truck Owners Association, Mrs Folake Soji George, the Chairman Lagos State Truck & Cargo Operators’ Committee (LASTOC) Alhaji Lukman Shittu, Leaders of NURTW, RTEAN amongst other industry leaders.

Consortium of Trucking Unions and Associations under the auspices of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) had issued an ultimatum to stop service to the maritime industry over widespread cases of extortion and attacks on truckers by hoodlums and miscreants.