Omicron: MWUN charges NPA, terminal operators to beef up security at ports.

The leadership of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Thursday has  called on the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to wake up to the challenge of the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, to curtail it from infiltrating the ports in Nigeria.

Recall that the government said the variant has been found in the country.

The development that led to the blacklisting of Nigerian travellers to the United Kingdom.

Speaking on the development, the President General (PG) of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju in a chat with newsmen, stated that stringent measures should be adopted to avoid infiltration of Nigerian ports with the variant which he described as more deadly.

Adeyanju, who lauded the management of the authority for the way it managed the COVID-19 pandemic when it newly broke out from affecting members of the union, asked that same measure should be applied.

He also called on terminal operators to support NPA in the fight against the virus, saying afterall, the vessels will berth at the various terminals.

He enjoined health and safety workers in both NPA and terminals to ensure  vessels and the crew have clean bill of health before allowing workers onboard.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, none of our members was affected by the COVID-19. I need to thank the press for objective reportage even when it happened in SIFAX, we were able to manage the situation and the people involved were taken care of and nothing happened to our members because of the awareness and sensitisation given to them.

“Now, another dangerous one has happened and I keep on saying it that the Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Ports Authority should wake up because of the vessels coming in from Western countries to our ports.

“They should apply the same method they applied during covid-19 era. Before a vessel berth, they must have quarantined the vessel outside the berth and must be given clean bill of health of the vessels and the crew as it was done during the height of COVID-19.

“We are calling on NPA to direct their medical department because this is very key.

“All the terminal operators and their safety departments must wake up for their safety.

“They should support NPA and not leave everything in the hands of NPA alone because all the vessels coming are going to the terminals and the terminals too should be on standby and make sure no worker climbs the vessel until the health department confirms that the crew onboard are safe,” he maintained.