By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
LAGOS—DOCK WORKERS, protesting moves by the Senate to give legal backing to the establishment of another security agency in the maritime industry through the Maritime Security (Establishment) Bill 2009, yesterday, shutdown ports operations nationwide.

The aggrieved dockworkers claimed the move was to duplicate the jobs of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Marine Police and Nigerian Navy in spite of earlier rejection of the plan by stakeholders in the sector.

Displaying placards with various inscriptions, the protesters said the bill allegedly sponsored by some highly-placed individuals in the Presidency, through the Presidential Committee on Maritime Security and Safety, PICOMSS, an ad-hoc committee by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was unanimously rejected by stakeholders in the sector at a public hearing on  January 13, 2010.

Addressing the protesters, Secretary General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Mr. Afam Ubani, alongside other leaders of the union, said the shutdown of the ports which lasted about two hours, was just a warning action to let the promoters of the controversial bill know that stakeholders were against such duplication.

He said it was unfortunate that the Senate appeared not to be aware of International Maritime Organisation, IMO, codes on maritime security and operations to which Nigeria is a signatory.

He said:“We have found it most expedient to cry to all well-meaning Nigerians on the issue of the unnecessary duplication of an established government agency Maritime Administration, Safety and Security Agency, NIMASA, against the strong opposition by major strong stakeholders in the maritime sector.

”We have earlier written the Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives against the determined plan of few, but powerful individuals to create a parallel maritime security agency, on this premise, we wish to draw the attention of Nigerians to the unacceptable robust move by the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security, PICOMSS, to establish another maritime security and safety  agency in spite of public opposition to the move.”