Dockworker dies at Tin-Can Island Port during vessel off-loading
A 32-year-old dockworker, Mr. Samson Oheha, died at the weekend after being hit by reel during discharging efforts on a vessel at the Five Stars Logistics terminal.
The terminal is one of the service providers employed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and operating at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos.
President of the Dockworkers branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Adewale Adeyanju said that the reel of paper fell on the dockworker following waves that came
from another vessel that was passing by.
from another vessel that was passing by.
“What happened was that the sea waves that emanated from another vessel that was going to
another terminal at the Tin-Can Island Port caused the reel paper on an anchored vessel to fall.
another terminal at the Tin-Can Island Port caused the reel paper on an anchored vessel to fall.
“The reel fell on the unsuspecting dockworker while he was working alongside others, discharging
on the anchored vessel.
on the anchored vessel.
“You know that anytime a vessel is berthed along the terminals at the ports and another vessel
is passing or moving by, waves from the moving vessel shake the berthed or anchored vessel, making it unstable.
is passing or moving by, waves from the moving vessel shake the berthed or anchored vessel, making it unstable.
“So while the other vessel was moving towards another spot at Tin-Can ports, the waves from
that vessel shook the anchored vessel which Oheha and others were working on.
that vessel shook the anchored vessel which Oheha and others were working on.
“It caused one of the reel papers to fall on Oheha and he died on the spot.
“The incident happened at the Five Stars Logistics Terminal inside the Tin-Can Island ports.
“After his death, the terminal operator, Five Stars Logistics Limited made money available so
that he can be carried to a morgue. That was after the police had come in and
given us a police report.
that he can be carried to a morgue. That was after the police had come in and
given us a police report.
“Immediately I got to the scene of the unfortunate incident, I ordered that the work should be
stopped to give the deceased some form of respect.
stopped to give the deceased some form of respect.
“We were later shocked to find out that the deceased has not been paid in the last eight
months.
months.
“We are going to press for compensation to his family and ensure he receives all his dues even
in death. All his insurance benefits will be paid to his family,” Adeyanju said.
in death. All his insurance benefits will be paid to his family,” Adeyanju said.
The dockworkers’ President said they were strategising on how to break the sad news to the
family of the deceased.
family of the deceased.
He said the deceased was among the tally clerks who the union was agitating for that the NPA should pay their entitlements, as they were being owed eight months salaries.
