Clearing Agents and freight forwarders operating at the Container Complex,
Tin Can Island Port, Apapa have called on the management of the Nigerian Ports
Authority (NPA) to rescind its decision to evict them from the complex.
Tin Can Island Port, Apapa have called on the management of the Nigerian Ports
Authority (NPA) to rescind its decision to evict them from the complex.
The plea came after a peaceful protest was embarked upon by the clearing
agents over quit notice given to them by Seaview Properties Limited, a
subsidiary of NPA.
agents over quit notice given to them by Seaview Properties Limited, a
subsidiary of NPA.
A letter dated February 11, 2016 by Seaview Propertied Limited to the
clearing agents at the office complex and a copy made available to newsmen, the
property company asked everyone to vacate their office space on or before Sept.
30, 2016.
clearing agents at the office complex and a copy made available to newsmen, the
property company asked everyone to vacate their office space on or before Sept.
30, 2016.
The letter reads, “Please, I am directed by the management of Seaview
Properties Limited to inform you to quit from the office space in your
possession.
Properties Limited to inform you to quit from the office space in your
possession.
“That six months’ notice is hereby given to give up possession on
receipt of this notice to quit from 1st March 2016 to 30th September
2016.”
receipt of this notice to quit from 1st March 2016 to 30th September
2016.”
After the peaceful protest, the Chairman, Containerized Office Complex,
Chukuemeka Shedrack, pleaded with the
NPA not to throw them out since they had no alternative provided for them.
Chukuemeka Shedrack, pleaded with the
NPA not to throw them out since they had no alternative provided for them.
Shedrack however lamented that the Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib
Abdullahi had refused to grant them audience since the letter was written to
them in February.
Abdullahi had refused to grant them audience since the letter was written to
them in February.
“We are all agents but they want to displace us from here. I don’t
know where they want us to go.
know where they want us to go.
“We decided on a peaceful protest to
get the MD’s attention because he had has not granted us the opportunity to have a word with him.”
get the MD’s attention because he had has not granted us the opportunity to have a word with him.”
The Chairman of the complex who said the property company had also not
provided an alternative space for them asked where they want them to operate
from if evicted.
provided an alternative space for them asked where they want them to operate
from if evicted.
“They have not provided any alternative for us and that was why we
wrote a letter to the MD so that we can hear from him, because if they displace
all these people from here, where do they want us to go?
wrote a letter to the MD so that we can hear from him, because if they displace
all these people from here, where do they want us to go?
“NPA has been saying they don’t want people loitering around the port
causing nuisance and now they want to displace us with no alternative, so where
do they want us to stay.
causing nuisance and now they want to displace us with no alternative, so where
do they want us to stay.
“If they push us out of this place, where do they want us to go? We
are not a security risk here because we are doing our legitimate jobs and we
have been here for more than 20 years.
are not a security risk here because we are doing our legitimate jobs and we
have been here for more than 20 years.
The Chairman, however, disclosed that there were unconfirmed reports that
their office space was to be sold to Grimaldi Shipping line.
their office space was to be sold to Grimaldi Shipping line.
In his words, “There are insinuations that they want to annex this
complex for Grimaldi.
complex for Grimaldi.
“We are hearing rumour that Grimaldi want to buy off this place and I don’t
know why they want to do that even when in their terminals they have enough
space to operate.
know why they want to do that even when in their terminals they have enough
space to operate.
“And this place have been operating before Grimaldi and MRS, so why do they
want to displace us?
want to displace us?
The Chairman however asked the Federal government to come to their aid
before the NPA management sends them out of the complex.
before the NPA management sends them out of the complex.
“My prayer to the Federal Government is that they should help us halt
the plans to move us out of here.
the plans to move us out of here.
“We are all Nigerians, we are stakeholders and we are legitimate business
people who generate revenue to Federal Government and they should not send us
out of the port without an alternative.
people who generate revenue to Federal Government and they should not send us
out of the port without an alternative.
Also speaking, the Vice- Chairman of the complex Alhaji Ajisafe said they
should not be sent out of the office space they had been occupying for over two
decades.
should not be sent out of the office space they had been occupying for over two
decades.
He asked where they wanted them to move their office to if evicted by the Port Authority.
“We have been here for over twenty years and we have never been
security threat to anyone let alone the port.
security threat to anyone let alone the port.
“They should not throw us out. Where do they want over 1000 of us to go if
we are thrown out of the complex? he asked.
we are thrown out of the complex? he asked.
Effort to get the response of NPA on the planned eviction of members of the
office complex proved abortive as series of text messages sent to the General
Manager, Corporate Affairs, Capt. Ihenacho Ebubeogu were not replied.
office complex proved abortive as series of text messages sent to the General
Manager, Corporate Affairs, Capt. Ihenacho Ebubeogu were not replied.
