From Victor Edozie , Port Harcourt
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, the Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents, ANLCA , Onne Youths and other stakeholders at the Onne Port have issued a 4 day ultimatum to the federal government to call off the E-Call Up levies imposed on trucks that comes into Onne Port and fix all the dilapidated internal roads at Port.
The Chairman of the Maritime Union Of Nigeria, Eastern Port, Comrade Uche Ogbu in a joint press conference with ANLCA, Onne youths and other stakeholders at Onne, Rivers State on Wednesday, said that the dilapidated state of Onne internal roads and haphazard ways trucks are lined up for E-Call Up levies are affecting the smooth operation of business at the Port.
Comrade Ogbu said that the Nigeria Port Authority, NPA, has allegedly refused to provide loading bays for trucks that came into the Port despite all the appeals made by stakeholders at the Port on the danger of operating E-Call Up without designated loading bay.
He said that the poor state of Onne internal roads and the haphazard ways trucks are lined up for E-Call Up levies is constituting danger to the lives of Port users.
He said at the end of the 4 day ultimatum which he said expires on Monday the union in collaboration with other stakeholders at the Port will shutdown business activities at the Port.
He said, “We are the people carrying the burden of the E-Call Up levies. We the maritime workers in collaboration with other stakeholders and Onne communities are going to down tool from Monday. We want to draw the attention of government about the poor state of the facilities where we do our businesses.
“We are going to down our tools and after downing our tools and even when we are going to start operations we will ask our members to go inside the Ports and ensure that they stop the operation of E-Call Up. We are going to stop the E-Call Up operations by Monday I am promising you that.
“The Nigeria factors plays out on the issues that concern government business if you asked NPA they will tell you that they are getting their allocation from Maritime and Blue Economy Ministry and that the allocation is not even enough to run their overhead cost.
“That they don’t have any power or budget to carry out any work. The NPA do generate money but the money they generate according to them goes straight to the federal government It is their responsibility to inform Federal government about the state of infrastructure at the Eastern Port.
“They are the eyes of the federal government We are not saying that NPA should take action that is beyond their capacity they should know how to reach out to the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, reach out to the Managing Director of NPA and through that channel they can get to the Presidency about our plights.
“None of them are ready to live up to their responsibility they are only interested in the E-Call Up. A huge percentage of the E-Call Up goes to the NPA. We know that if we stop the E-Call Up they will sit up and do something about our plights.”
Also speaking, the Onne Chapter Chairman of Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents, ANLCA, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku, called on federal government to allocate a fraction of the sum of N487bn revenue realized from Onne Port between January to July , 2026 to fix and maintain the internal access roads leading to Onne Port for the safety of its members and Onne host community.
Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku said federal government realized N487bn in revenue from Onne Port between January and July and argued that a fraction of the money should be used to fix the dilapidated internal roads at Onne where he said the money is being generated.
“That we place on record that the total customs revenue realized from Onne Port Command between January and July 2026 is approximately N439 Billion, while revenue from Oil and Gas Free Zone Customs within the same period is approximately N48 Billion, Totaling N487 Billion within 7 Months
“With deep concern and frustration, the house deliberated extensively on the worsening plight of our Unions and members. Of particular note is the unabated illegal parking of trucks across Onne roads and the imminent chaos occasioned by the Nigerian Ports Authority’s failure to honour its commitment to provide adequate facilities and sufficient Holding bays at Onne Port prior to the commencement of the E-Call Up System,
“Compounding this crisis is the deplorable and death trap condition of the access roads leading to Onne Port, which continue to endanger lives, destroy goods and cripple legitimate business.
“In view of the foregoing and in the interest of safety, sanity and the welfare of our members and the host community we resolved that there shall be no more illegal parking of trucks on Onne roads to ensure free flow of traffic for the community and our members.
“That all access roads within Onne leading to the port be properly maintained to prevent frequent container fall incidents, injuries to members and loss of lives arising from the deplorable state of the roads.
“That our members shall no longer participate in the arbitrary and bogus payments associated with the E-Call Up System of transport at the port.
“That the implementation of the E-Call Up System of transport be suspended until adequate Holding Bays are built to accommodate the number of trucks operating at Onne Port. This suspension takes effect Monday, 17th August 2026
“That suspension of the E-Call Up system of truck at Onne port remains effective until all the challenges listed above are adequately addressed.”
Efforts made by our reporter to speak with the management of NPA over the matter was not successful but a source from the organization informed our reporter that efforts are being made to address issues raised.
