Port concessionaires under the aegis of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) have collectively donated N700 million to support the country’s effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease.
STOAN Chairman, Mrs Vicky Haastrup, who made this known in a statement in Lagos on Monday, said that no effort should be spared toward curtailing the pandemic.
“The world is facing its worst public health crisis in more than 100 years and this fight is not for the Federal or State Governments alone, as the virus is an enemy that everyone must join hands together to fight.
“I wish to commend government and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for rising up to the challenges posed by the pandemic and I pray that very soon, we will all sing songs of victory.
“Nigeria will triumph; humanity will triumph against this virus,” she said.
Haastrup said that APM Terminals Apapa Limited, ENL Consortium Limited and Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL), all operating at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, donated to the COVID-19 Relief Fund Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
She said that they donated N150 million; N70 million and N10 million respectively.
Haastrup said that the Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) and Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), both at the Tin Can Island Port Complex, donated N100 million each.
She also added that the Port & Cargo Handling Services, Five Star Logistics and Josepdam Port Services, who are also operators at the Tin Can Island Port Complex, donated N75million, N75million, and N60 million respectively.
The STOAN chairman said that West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne Port, donated N50million, while ECM Terminal, Calabar Port, donated N10million.
She said that the terminal operators also made donations of various personal protective items such as face masks, hand gloves, overalls, hand sanitizers and infrared thermometers to the NPA, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other government agencies at the various port locations across the country.
“I wish to thank my colleagues for their support and generosity.
“The times are hard; shipping and port operations are badly affected by the pandemic, but we cannot close our eyes to the needs of the society, hence we tasked ourselves and made this sacrifice.
“I also wish to thank the Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, and all other relevant stakeholders for sustaining port operations during this crisis.
“Operations at the port are crucial to ensuring uninterrupted supply of food, medicine and other essentials to Nigerians,” she said.
Haastrup reiterated the need to stay safe, urging everyone to be responsible by following the guidelines and safety measures issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
She said that these include maintaining social distancing, washing of hands regularly or using alcohol-based sanitizers and avoiding large gatherings.
Source: VON
