NPA, maritime workers resolve to develop Eastern ports for better operations 

The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have resolved to develop ports in the Eastern zone of the Country for better and effective maritime operations.

This comes amid strident calls for proper development and utilisation of the ports, following allegations of “a deliberate plan to develop Lagos ports at the expense of Eastern ports.”

The recent $940 million loan agreement by the Bola Tinubu Administration to fund the development of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos has heightened calls for equal attention to the Eastern ports.

Managers of the Onne, Rivers (formerly Port Harcourt Port), Calabar, and Warri ports met with MWUN leadership in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, to deliberate on issues militating against port development in the zone.

Edith Kenechi Okezie, Manager of Rivers Port, said during the inaugural 2026 Eastern Port Joint District Council meeting in Port Harcourt that the NPA is committed to achieving development targets set for ports in the region.

Okezie stressed the vital role that stakeholder engagement plays in developing the ports. She urged the union to contribute its quota, through dedicated service, to meeting the various targets set by NPA management for ports in the region.

Other port managers— Ibifiri Alex Ekine (Calabar), represented by Augustine Iso; Sa’udu Mohammed Dahiru (Warri), represented by Helen Uwejeta; and Abdulrahman Hassan (Onne), represented by Justina Diri—agreed on the importance of continued engagement and factual proposals to improve welfare and minimize service agitations.

Ajayi Bamidele Alex, President of the NPA Branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (represented by Fagbemi Olakunle), expressed hope that the partnership would lead to higher efficiency and productivity, adding: “Punctuality and dedication to duty remain the foundation of our progress while we remain fully committed to our responsibilities, uplift the union, and contribute to the growth of the port itself.”

Ajayi urged the Port Management to include the union in its decision-making on critical issues, adding that “inclusion builds trust, strengthens relationships and facilitates a healthy working environment”.

Tammy Lucky Loveday, Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) at Port Harcourt Port, charged the JDC to set benchmarks for a fruitful relationship with Eastern Ports managers, in addition to midwifing better welfare packages for union members.

He commended Okezie for being ‘a listening mother’ who has helped to establish a more conducive working environment for staff and other related service agencies.