Barge Accident: Group Demands Full Compensation For Shippers

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  Call for resignation of NPA, NIMASA and NIWA CEOs

By Kenneth Jukpor

Following the recent barge accident that occurred in Lagos with containers falling into the water channel, a group comprising freight forwarders, shippers, traders and legal practitioners have called for full compensation for the shippers whose cargoes have been destroyed.

Noting that the accident was a result of the identified regulatory negligence and lapses on the part of the government agencies saddled with licensing, regulation and supervision of barge operation in the country, the group also demanded the immediate resignation of the heads of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

The group which made this demand in a press conference in Lagos on Monday also demanded that the report of the investigation undertaken by NIMASA over the incident be made public as soon as possible.

Speaking on behalf of six other groups during the press conference, the President, Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS), Rev. Dr. Jonathan Nicol observed that proper licensing and regulations of the barge and jetty operators and its related operations cannot be overemphasized adding that it is criminal attending to regulatory obligations with gross nonchalant and negligence or without utmost good faith at all times.

“We say this in relation to the recent barge accident that occurred on the 6th of March, 2021 along KLT/Mile 2 – Maza Maza water channels where about six (6) 40ft containers said to contain electronics (new LED TV sets) went down the water deep and the laden cargo valued at Five Hundred Million Naira (N500, 000,000.00) as was reported by the media.

“It has been reported that over one million TEUs and more than ten thousand (10,000) trucks have been moved via barges in the last three years. Agreeably, it could be said that in the recent times, without the intervention of barge operations amid the reported ailing port congestion, chaotic port access roads, the corrupt practices therein among others, the port situation would have been compounded.

“Notwithstanding the prevalent situation, it is not a leeway or a suggestion that barge operations should thrive on the premise of carefree and negligence nor professionalism jettisoned nor operational abuses, impunities, high handedness condoned or regulatory obligations compromised at will”, Nicol said.

He noted that following the press conference addressed on the 8th of March, 2021 over the incident, they were able to deduce that there were many unlicensed and unregulated operators in the barge operation sector, that regulatory negligence and lapses exist, operational non-compliance to set standards, interagency supremacy tussle occasioned by overlapping functions of the presumed regulators and absence of a standby functional emergency rapid salvage rescue team during accident or emergency.

“In this case, all concerned stakeholders folded hands and watched helplessly as the containers drifted into the bottom deep. To sum it up, there was no cohesive, restructured and practicable regulatory architecture for the barge operations prior to the commencement of barge/jetty operations whereby professionalism, safety and security concerns was never a driving force rather profit making is the core driving force.

“At this juncture, we imagined the huge loss and pains the cargo owners are going through on an operational hazard that is avoidable but because someone sitting on an executive position allowed administrative laxity to thrive in a delicate and sensitive industry engagements. In a sane environment, someone would have voluntarily resigned from office for failing in his duties but it is not so in an atmosphere where corrupt practices thrives and even the perpetrators go unpunished or unsanctioned rather, they are celebrated and reckoned with in operation”, the SALS president said.

He continued, “The operational arrangement was skewed against them, the non-firm supervision and monitoring by the agencies of the government is not their fault as they relied on the leadership to safeguard their investment. Hence, regulatory objectives and administration failed them. Hence, the three agencies mentioned by BOAN for their overlapping functions are all under one control and supervisory ministry, Ministry of Transport, we therefore request Ministry of Transport to direct for the immediate compensation for all losses incurred by the affected shippers.

“We demand that the heads of the three (3) agencies vested with these regulatory responsibilities namely; NPA, NIWA and NIMASA should resign forthwith. Above all, the transport ministry should step up its supervisory roles in the port operations.”

Apart from the Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS), other stakeholder groups that participated in the press conference included; Ndigboamaka Progressive (Traders) Associations, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), African Association of professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria APFFLON, Congregation of Registered Freight Forwarders Practitioners of Nigeria (CREFFPON), Justice and People Care Foundation and Sea Empowerment and Research Centre.