Groaning under intense hardship imposed by poor government
policies and global economic crunch, over 20 shipping firms have exited the
nation’s shores. This is coming as Dockworkers Union of Nigeria (DUN) lamented
that over 3,000 workers have already been laid off by various shipping
companies, terminal operators and logistic companies, owing to lack of
financing and poor import policies of the Federal Government.
The workers also blamed the massive retrenchment on the
inability of the Federal Government to meet its joint venture obligation with
the international oil companies which are major partners with the marine
logistic companies.Some of the companies that have already made an exit include
Mitsui O.S.K Line, Nippon Yusen Kasha, Taiwan’s Evergreen Line, Messina Line,
Hapag-Lloyd and Gold Star Line (GSL), among others which were forced to
withdraw from the West Africa route due to growing losses as a result of
declining volumes.
The President, Dockworkers Union of Nigeria (DUN), Anthony
Emmanuel Nted, yesterday bemoaned the poor state of the ports, terminal and
work environment in the maritime industry. Nted revealed that about 20 shipping
firms have left the shore of the country because of low traffic occasioned by
government importation policy.
According to him, Nigeria as an import-dependent country
cannot suddenly ban the importation of the principal goods being generally
consumed in the country. “Hence, the
current government policy on importation though with the best intention seems
to be wreaking more havoc on the economy and ought to be reviewed urgently,” he
said.
