Seven dockworkers of Nigeria’s largest container terminal, APM Terminals Apapa, were on Thursday honoured with various awards at the maiden Dockworkers Day celebration organised by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The Dockworkers Day with the theme “Healthy Dockworker, Better Productivity” held at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Recreation Centre in Surulere, Lagos, saw five female crane operators and two male terminal workers from APM Terminals Apapa being honoured with awards.
The five female crane operators namely Oshinowo Funke Olusola, Opayemi Fausat Toyin, Omodele Augustina, Ngozi Perpetua Onyia and Umeano Chidera received the “Outstanding Female Dockworkers Award” while Olabe Daniel Agbua and Oseni Akeem received the “Outstanding Male Dockworkers Award”.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the Dockworkers Day was created to recognise the contributions of dockworkers to the nation’s economy.
He said the recognition would instil “a sense of inclusion, value and dignity” among dockworkers and further boost their contribution to the economy.
On his part, the President-General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, thanked the management of NIMASA for organising the event to celebrate Nigerian dockworkers in recognition of the important roles they play at the port.
Speaking on the awards, the Terminal Manager, APM Terminals Apapa, Steen Knudsen said, “APM Terminals is an equal opportunities organisation. We provide conducive environment for all our employees, irrespective of gender, to thrive. I am happy that our female crane operators are faring very well and are being recognised by the authorities.
“In APM Terminals, we continue to increase the participation of women in both leadership and technical roles to further strengthen their presence in positions that were hitherto seen as exclusive to men. We depend on diversity of thought to continue improving and developing our business. Facilitating a culture where everyone feels comfortable, respected and fairly treated will help us gain access to a larger, more diverse pool of talent.”
APM Terminals is the largest container terminal in Nigeria. With an investment of more than USD438 million, the terminal has continued to introduce new innovations to help both shipping lines and landside customers achieve improved supply chain efficiency, flexibility and dependability in a cost-effective manner.