Maritime Union Takes Stand Against Failing Call-Up System: COMTUA Suspends Participation Amidst Ongoing Litigation
In a bold move, the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Association (COMTUA) has announced its decision to suspend participation in the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) call-up system, citing its persistent failure. This development comes as the union awaits the outcome of a suit filed with the Federal High Court in Lagos, challenging the system's efficacy.
The call-up system, also known as the Electronic Truck Call-Up System (ETO), was introduced to manage traffic and congestion at the ports. However, despite efforts to collaborate with the NPA, the system has continued to falter, causing disruptions to operations and impacting the livelihoods of union members.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of the NPA, COMTUA's National President, Adeyinka Aroyewun, emphasized the union's frustration with the system's shortcomings. "Despite our efforts to work with the NPA to address these issues, the system has continued to fail, causing disruption to our operations and impacting our members' livelihoods," Aroyewun stated.
COMTUA has notified the NPA that they will discontinue the use of the call-up system from April 7, 2025. However, the union has assured that its members will continue to obey all traffic rules and work to ensure that they do not cause congestion on the ports access road.
The union believes that this decision is necessary to prevent their business from being further destroyed. "We believe that this is the only way to ensure that our business is not destroyed beyond what it is now," Aroyewun explained.
COMTUA remains committed to working with the NPA to find a solution that will improve efficiency and productivity at the ports. The union has called on the NPA to take immediate action to address the system's failures and work towards finding a more effective solution.
The NPA has been invited to engage in discussions with COMTUA to resolve the issues surrounding the call-up system. The outcome of these discussions will be crucial in determining the future of the system and the union's participation in it.
As the situation unfolds, stakeholders in the maritime industry are watching closely, eager to see how the NPA and COMTUA will work together to address the challenges facing the call-up system. The suspension of COMTUA's participation in the system marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and productivity at Nigeria's ports.
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