I will use my second term to tackle dearth of junior staff strength in NPA – Mazeli

The President, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) branch of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Mr. Ifeanyi Mazeli has assured workers that he will make sure that the dearth in staff strength of junior employees in the Authority be augmented during his second term in office.

He said this at the MWUN secretariat yesterday when he officially picked form to run for his second term in office.

He was accompanied by the branch and district executives of the branch.

Recall that the election into the branch executives comes up in May, date and venue to be announced.

Mazeli who averred that the issue of disparity in staff strength between the junior and senior cadres is too wide, added that he would do everything possible to see that the gap is closed during his second stint in office.

He frowned at a situation where about thirty five officers are supervising five staff which according to him, the reverse should be the case.

Fielding questions from journalists, he said, “I expect to see a better Nigerian Ports Authority branch because if you know where we are coming from, you will begin to appreciate where we are now. Even up to my predecessor, NPA branch election has never been easy, it has always been war, war, war dated back to inception.

“This is the first time right from my first tenure, nobody contested with me, NPA staff gave me the go ahead to become their president and this second term again, they said I should continue.

“Honestly, the issue of dearth of junior staff in Nigerian Ports Authority, now we have more officers than junior staff, this is one issue that this branch in conjunction with the PG are going to tackle.

“Honestly, we have been writing to the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority but I won’t say they are not doing anything because we have been meeting over it.

“They have been giving the excuses of federal character and the rest of them including this Covid-19 pandemic saying this is not the right time because it will lead to increase in salaries and the rest of them

“What we are saying is that if they are doing that of the officers, let them do that of the junior cadres

“Our position is that the strength of junior staff is far below what it should be; we have always said of they cannot maintain the pyramid structure, you cannot have thirty officers supervising five staff whereas, you are supposed to have five officers supervising thirty staff

Earlier, the President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju while commending the branch for comporting itself, called for oneness and forgiving spirits among the gladiators in politics

He expressed joy that for the first time, the branch was speaking with one voice especially during election period which hitherto was always volatile.

“We should all have it at the back of our minds that we will leave one day hence there is no need creating enemity among ourselves

“This is the first time this branch is able to put its house in order by saying they should emulate other branches

“We are proud of you and I want to call on other branches too to learn from you,” he admonished.