The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA), has notified the general public that it condemns in clear terms the reckless statement credited to the Trio of MWUN, NARTO, and AMATO proposing to shut down the port on Wednesday, 26th February, 2025.
In a statement signed by the President, Prince Adeyinka Aroyewun, the group said “It is disheartening to read that this group, which is actually responsible for the traffic on the port access road through their illegal passing of trucks against the time belt in connivance with some officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority, is planning an illegal shutdown of the port.
COMTIUA added that “The call-up system has never worked, and it will never work, but these groups refuse to address this but find it convenient to connive with NPA to cause artificial congestion on the port access road.”
Business Hilights recalls that COMTUA is a group representing various maritime unions and associations involved in the transportation of goods through ports, essentially acting as a collective voice for truck drivers and other workers operating within port areas, often advocating for their rights and working conditions within port operations.
COMTUA President averred further that “The cause of congestion is not unknown; it’s purely the failure of the call-up operators, especially through the approval of unfunctional garages and compromised booking systems.
“The head of the team, in the person of Olaleye Thompson and his group, enjoys patronage of NPA through his false park and continues to flood the road with trucks; it is the same with the park where fake number plates were found, said to belong to Rasaki Igbalaye, and the list is endless.
“Requests on NPA to allow for a thorough audit of these parks have proven abortive.
“Truck passing to Apapa now attracts between #200,000 and #300,000 per truck on every trip. This is in connivance with the same group of people who are proposing to shut down the port.
“Comrade Adeyanju should be warned against using his position as the President General of MWUN to cause any breakdown of law and order around the port area.
“COMTUA recognizes the right of any group to a peaceful protest but shall not hesitate to resist any unlawful act capable of impacting negatively on our businesses.
“The Lagos State government agency on Abandoned is not immune against contest and complaint, the system allows for complaint and protest to the Lagos state Ministry of Transport if you feel dissatisfied with any of it’s activities. We shall not allow any group to take laws into their hands.
Accordingly, COMTUA therefore demands a holistic review of the call-up system; we request that all those involved in the illegal passing of trucks be investigated and prosecuted.
