Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The
Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
has warned that it would sanction any operational areas allotted by the
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for refusal to allow registered stevedoring
companies to operate.
The apex maritime agency has therefore directed all duly
registered stevedoring companies with operational areas allotted by the
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which are yet to start operation, to mobilise
to their work locations.
The directive, contained in a marine notice issued by NIMASA,
said the affected companies should report any encumbrances to the Agency. This
is in line with the Stevedoring Regulation, 2014, gazetted by the Federal
Government of Nigeria, developed pursuant to the NIMASA Act, 2007.
The
Agency equally notified all operators of ports, jetties, onshore or offshore
oil and gas or bonded terminals, Inland Container Depots (ICDs), offshore dock
terminals, dry ports and platforms, and other work locations to grant duly
appointed stevedoring companies access to their premises for commencement of
operations. It said only corporate bodies duly registered in Nigeria would be
allowed to employ dock labour or engage in stevedoring work on board or from
ships. Such corporate entities must have satisfied the requirements for
registration specified in the Stevedoring Regulation, 2014, and obtained a
Stevedoring license from NIMASA.
“Every dock labour employer or stevedoring company shall provide proper and
safe working conditions for the convenience and proper working of its employees
and ensure that all stevedoring plants and equipment supplied and being used in
their operations are safe and in good condition,” the Agency stated.
A
statement signed by Head, Corporate
Communications of NIMASA, Philip Kyanet, stressed that employers of dock
labour or stevedoring companies are mandated to provide adequate insurance
cover for health, personal injury, loss of earnings, and compensation, relating
to any incident affecting dockworkers or stevedores in the course of the work
of the dock labour employer or the stevedoring company.
Director-General
of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, warned that the consequences for non-compliance
with the guidelines set out in the Stevedoring Regulation, 2014, shall be
enforced, in addition to other penalties, such as detention of vessels, sealing
of operational area or work location, and prosecution.
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