By Oluwabunmi Ogunjimi
The lingering dispute between two major groups in Nigeria’s port haulage chain has been resolved, removing a potential source of friction in the evacuation of cargo from the nation’s seaports.
The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) yesterday ended their long-running dispute over alleged extortion at a settlement meeting convened by the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA).
The meeting, held at NPERA’s office, brought together the leadership of both organisations and officials of the regulatory agency to implement resolutions earlier reached by the parties.
The long-running dispute between the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) over alleged extortion has been resolved, raising hopes of greater stability and cooperation in the port haulage sector.
The dispute was laid to rest yesterday at a settlement meeting convened by the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) at its office as part of efforts to implement resolutions earlier reached by the parties.
The meeting brought together the leadership of COMTUA and AMATO alongside officials of NPERA, in a move aimed at ending the disagreement and preventing further friction among stakeholders in the maritime transport chain.
The resolution is significant for the haulage sector, where prolonged disputes between truck owners and transport unions can disrupt cargo evacuation, increase operational costs and contribute to delays along port corridors.
Stakeholders said the settlement would provide an opportunity for both groups to focus on improving industrial harmony, truck turnaround time and the efficient movement of cargo from the nation’s seaports.
The development also underscores the importance of effective regulatory intervention in resolving disputes within the maritime logistics chain, particularly at a time when stakeholders are seeking to reduce bottlenecks and improve the ease of doing business at the ports.
In a statement by Prince Adeyinka Aroyewun – National President, COMTUA said:” In a magnanimous show of brotherhood and in the spirit of unionism and for the sake of lasting peace and collaboration in the maritime trucking sector, the leadership of COMTUA has decided to voluntarily forfeit the claim.”
Similarly, President of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, thanked COMTUA for the gesture of goodwill, apologised over the incident and assured that measures would be put in place to prevent a recurrence.
He called for greater collaboration between both organisations to promote the welfare of truckers and ensure seamless port operations.
