The Nigerian Licensed Ships Chandlers’ Association (NLSCA) has called on the Federal Government to save its members who are unable to get jobs from being thrown out of business.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, President of the association, Mrs Beatrice Ede Ogbumuo, said ship chandlers are responsible for the supplying of food, groceries and other essential items to visiting vessels.
She said members of the association, numbering about 20,000, also suffer undue harassment in the hands of security agencies in the course of performing their legitimate duties.
“Too many challenges have been facing the association which include finance, insecurity which makes it difficult for our members to carry out supplies even as it is difficult to get jobs.
“The expatriates have taken over all the jobs which Nigerians are supposed to do. Our members are just there lamenting about the system because less than 10 percent are working.
“We are the people who are really doing the job. The security is affecting our jobs because most times we go to the sea to supply and on your way to the sea the whole lot of security are there, the Customs, the immigration, the navy, the police name it; and you know what it means,” she stated.
Ogbumuo solicited the support of the government in addressing the various challenges.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.