Calabar Port Gets Monitoring Committee
The Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JOMALIC) has inaugrated a new Maritime Labour monitoring committee at the Calabar port.
The committee which comprises 14 members headed by an Acting Chairman, Mr. F. Okechukwu, is saddled with the responsibility of maintaining security, safety, peace and industrial harmony among the dockworkers and seafarers in the port.
The committee is expected to provide desired enabling environment for Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and incoming terminal operators to carry out their business at reduced cost in the interest of the Nigerian nation.
The Executive Chairman, Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council, Alhaji Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan enjoined the Committee to enforce Council's directive on access control measures so as to limit access to ports to only registered dock workers and seafarers that have business in the port since Nigeria has implemented the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code.
According to him, government implemented the code to inject the culture of competition, improve productivity and to ensure quick turnaround of vessels in the Nigerian ports, for increase in revenue to Federal Government through efficient performance by terminal operators.
He said that the functions of the Committee were enumerated in section 31 of the Nigerian Maritime Labour Act 2003.
Ramalan disclosed that the Council's port labour offices shall serve as the Committee secretariat since their functions have been integrated to that of Council's Maritime Labour Officers in the ports.
He said that, the committee is expected to submit monthly reports of activities and meeting with recommendations on areas that requires attention and improvement.
He promised that the Committee will provide a bus and patrol boat whenever the committee will be having meeting to enable them to carry out inspection duties.
He urged members of the Committee to be good ambassadors of their organizations and strive to make positive contributions that will enable the committee to achieve its set objectives.
The Acting Chairman, Mr Okechukwu, urged Committee members to co-operate with JOMALIC and make sure that all seafarers and dock workers are duly registered in order to fulfill the aims of setting the Committee.
He also urged the operators to treat the seamen as part of their policy for effective understanding and efficient working experience.
Speaking at the occasion, JOMALIC Director of Training, Mallam Jubril disclosed that the council will be sending port workers to training on ILO and at least 50 seafarers will be trained every month.
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