Rivers maritime workers give FG four-days ultimatum to fix roads, others
August 12, 2026 11:15 pm
Onne Port
By Dennis Naku
The Maritime Workers Union Of Nigeria, the Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents, Onne Youths and other stakeholders at the Onne Port have threatened to shutdown Onne Port in Rivers State over the deplorable state of the roads within the port and the imposition of E-Call Up levies imposed on trucks coming into the port.
The unions therefore issued a four day ultimatum to the federal government to call off the E-Call Up levies and fix all the dilapidated internal roads at port.
The Chairman of the Maritime Union Of Nigeria , Eastern Port, Uche Ogbu issued the threat during a joint news conference with ANLCA , Onne youths and other stakeholders in Onne on Wednesday
Ogbu, said that the sorry state of the Onne internal roads and haphazard ways trucks are lined up for E-Call Up levies is affecting the smooth operation of business at the port.
He alleged that the Nigeria Port Authority, NPA has refused to provide loading bays for trucks entering the port despite repeated appeals by stakeholders at the Port on the danger of operating E-Call Up without designated loading bay.
Ogbu further said dilapidated
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 ultimatum which expires next Monday, July 17th, the union in collaboration with other stakeholders at the Port will shutdown business activities at the port.
He stated, “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 concerns government business if you ask 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’s 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 … We know that if we stop the E-Call Up they will sit up and do something about our plights,” he added.
Also speaking the Onne Chapter Chairman of Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku, called on the federal government to allocate a fraction of the sum of N487bn revenue generated from the Onne Port between January and 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 Isikaku said the apex 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.
He said, “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 to reach spokesperson of the NPA, Onne Port, Mr Okoroafor Nwachukwu proved abortive as several calls put across to his mobile by our correspondent did not go through.
Nwachukwu, had yet to reply to a message sent to him as of the time of filing this report on Wednesday evening.
Dennis Naku is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with approximately 19 years of professional experience. He has previously worked with Champion Newspapers and National Mirror Newspaper, reporting across multiple beats. His work reflects extensive newsroom experience and a commitment to professional journalism practice.
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