“How NIMASA, NPA, flourmills, others short-change youths”

By Ezurike  Ugochukwu

Youths under the umbrella of the United Apapa  Youths Forum (UAYF) have accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority  (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council(NSC), Flourmills of Nigeria (FMN) among other of total neglect of the youths in the area.

The youths in the Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State described the spate of marginalization of youths in the community by government, companies and agencies operating  in the area as alarming  adding  that they have been deprived for too long.

According to the UAYF President, Comrade Abdulahi  Suleman, who told Nation Update online that they are abandoned, even at such a time as this lockdown period, when agencies, companies and organizations have devoted to helping people and host communities around them.
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Suleman said the youths numbering over 1000 understand that healthy community is a wealthy community, that its on the strength of that they have rallied among themselves, and with greater support from their patron Chief Victor Nangibo to provide hand sanitizers and face masks to be shared to the widows, the less privileged,  the police, youths and other persons in Apapa since the companies, agencies and the LGA have refused to look towards them even at this time.

“We have written letters to the agencies,  even on the issue of COVID-19, no response, all the agencies in Apapa, NIMASA, NSC, NPA,FMN, and many others.

“We have our youth forum in Apapa that has been maintaining peace and harmony, they have refused to carry us along, no support only the much we could  muscle among ourselves and the greater support from our patron  chief Nangibo  who proveded  most of the things we are sharing today.

Chief Nangibo

“Most organizations seem to be interested in only the LGA, forgetting the youths, the needy, widows and indigent  persons.

“After our sensitization and sharing of the sanitizers and facemask, we would go to the chairman to give him also, including our other support items since he is not giving us, and to show that we are not satisfied with his administration on the issue of COVID-19,”  he said.

Speaking further on the neglect of the youths of Apapa, the Patron, Chief Victor Nangibo, said even in the area of employment, the youths of the area have never been considered when rationing  employment opportunities of agencies in their community in Abuja.

He wonders why  many youths from Apapa who are academically qualified to be offered employment in the agencies  are ignored in likewise manner they were denied other benefits and opportunities. maintained that  the youths would no longer allow themselves to be taken for a ride.

He said, “When the youths go to  the NPA, they will say they are doing this and that for the youths, but the youths are not seeing anything. May be they are giving to the chairman  and his people who it seems are compromising  the chances of the youths.

Hon. Dele Elijah, Chairman, Apapa Local Government Area

“The youths have not been lazy in approaching them, but when they  do, the LGA  chairman will be mentioned, we are seeing a foul play since the LGA  chairman  has not called our attention since we put up our letter to him, shows he is compromising what belongs to  the youths.

“I believe the LGA  on their own has a part to play, the youths  have theirs; the LGA can’t play the part of the youth and play theirs as well.

Nangibo took a swipe on the agencies he said adopted double standards in employment and aid, according  to him, such would not benefit both the companies, the government and the communities at the long run.

“I want to ask, where are the employment chances going to? as much as we know, in Port Harcourt, they have West African Container Terminal  (WACT), just like APMT, every year, they  come up with employment quota to the Onne and Ikpokiri youths.

“Since last years we have been writing to APMT, I believe that by now, the system they used in operating in Onne would have been same as their system of operation in this  place…. I know that the Onne port captain gave the communities COVID-19 palliatives.

He wonders why their case in Apapa is different , he  recounted further how the Apapa Ports Manager Mrs. Funmilayo Olotu wrote then a letter that they are only operating with 30% of their workforce, that there is no provision for COVID19  palliative.

According to him, it baffled him to hear that the Port Manager in Port Harcourt gave palliatives and money to the communities around them, he queried on why their own case is different.

On what they plan to do if the neglect continues, he said, “that means the situation would be uncomfortable for both investors in the are and the government,  because if there are no conducive environment, such would disrupt operations, and much would be lost by the companies, government and the youths also.”

Baale Ogbara of Apapa

Receiving the cartons of sanitizers and  facemasks from the youths on behalf of the community, the Baale of Apapa, Chief Hakeem Ogbara expressed joy on the step taken by the youths, that regardless of the fact that  majority of them are unemployed, they have positioned themselves to join the government and the community to fight against this COVID 19.

He promised that  consultations are going  on to make sure the youths are given that which is due to them, that since the companies are in the community, the youths should be given priority attention, he therefore called for peace and cooperation.

“we need cooperation in the community, the young, the old,  and all the other tribes living here in Apapa, Without it, we can’t get to the root of the matter and get meaningful result,” he said.