ENL donates computers, printers, others to NPA to cushion effect of #ENDSARS attack

ENL Consortium, operator of Terminals C and D of the Lagos Port Complex Apapa, has donated various types of office items including desktop computers, photocopy machines, laser jet printers, and UPS backups to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to cushion effects of the damage done to the NPA headquarters on October 21 by suspected hoodlums during #ENDSARS Attack.

The suspected hoodlums, under the guise of the #ENDSARS protest organised against police brutality in the country, had set the NPA headquarters annex building and several vehicles on fire. The arsonists also carted away with several office equipment belonging to the agency.

Speaking during the donation of the items in Lagos on Tuesday, Vicky Haastrup, executive vice chairman/CEO of ENL Consortium, condemned the attack on the NPA headquarters building.

“It is rather sad that anyone would attack a national asset like the Nigerian Ports Authority which is the gateway to the Nigerian economy where vital services are rendered for the good of the generality of the people. Without the services rendered by NPA, the wellbeing of Nigerians will be in jeopardy. It is through the ports that vital goods come into the country and are shipped to other countries to earn much-needed foreign exchange,” she said.

Read Also: #ENDSARS: Ports Cargo terminal donates office equipment to NPA

According to her, thousands of Nigerians earn their living and feed their families from the work they do at the ports, adding that NPA is also a major revenue earner for the government, which in essence means that all Nigerians own NPA and benefit from the services of NPA.

“It is therefore befuddling that some Nigerians would conceive the idea of attacking this institution that benefits us all and that is crucial to the economic well being of the country,” she said.

Haastrup, who doubles as the chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), called for security operatives to fish out the perpetrators of the attacks.

Haastrup said the office items were donated by ENL Consortium to support NPA ‘at this very difficult time’.

“In November when my colleagues and I under the Seaport Terminal Operators of Nigeria (STOAN) visited you, we promised to support you in cushioning the effects of the unfortunate attack. Many of my colleagues have visited you afterwards with their support and we are also here today as ENL Consortium to hand over our support to you,” she said.

Onari Brown, NPA Executive Director, Marine and Operations, who received the items on behalf of Hadiza Bala Usman, managing director, said, “What has happened to us is rather unfortunate but the fact that corporate bodies like ENL Consortium and other terminal operators are standing by us has given us strength to carry on.”

He said the items that were looted were all insured but the system of insurance takes time. “The more you pursue insurance, the more things come up. But the immediate relief you have given to us has been a source of huge succor to us.”