The Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has pledged to support the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in replacing some of the items lost to the recent attack on its headquarters by suspected hoodlums.
The Chairman of STOAN, Vicky Haastrup, made the disclosure in Lagos when she led the port operators on a visit to the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman to sympathise with her and the NPA executive management over the attack, which led to the burning of a section of the NPA headquarters.
Haastrup described the attack as “sad and mind-boggling.”
She said: “We are most saddened by what we have seen. It’s actually beyond anybody’s comprehension that so much carnage and destruction could be done to a government property particularly NPA.
“I can imagine what the NPA management has gone through. It must be a very difficult and sad period for you because you put together so much and then some hooligans somewhere can just come and carry out this level of damage to the property.
“We sympathise with you and that is why we all decided that we want to pay you a courtesy visit to let you know that we are with you and we are equally very sad because this is a government establishment where we all benefit from and are a part of and as well enjoy support with your team of management.”
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She added: “All the terminal operators in Nigeria are all well represented. I assure you that as terminal operators, we are ready to support especially in replacing some of your office equipment.
“We will do all we can, within our power to support you. I have the assurances of my colleagues that we will support you. We are not going to wait for insurance. We have come and we have seen the level of damage. This is the time we need to support the NPA. They have always had our back and this is the time we need to have their back.”
Also speaking during the visit, the Managing Director of PTML Terminal, Ascanio Russo, while commending the combined effort of the police and Navy in repelling hoodlums that invaded the Tin Can Island Port in the wake of the EndSARS, protest appealed to the NPA management to check the influx of unauthorized persons loitering around the port area.
He said there is an urgent need to beef up security in the port, especially at this time, to guide against any future attack on the port.
He said, “The situation at Tin Can Island is still very precarious. There are far too many people working around the port and it is not clear what they are doing. We appeal to the NPA to look into this.”
While expressing appreciation, the NPA boss thanked the terminal operators for the visit adding that the NPA is going through a difficult period but assured that the authority remains resilient.
