Press Center | Freight Shipping Logistics News
Oct 24, 2011
General
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Cargo handlers and shipping agents have been accused of conspiring with some senior officials of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the provision of private loaders at Mombasa port.
Cargo handlers and shipping agents have been accused of conspiring with some senior officials of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the provision of private loaders at Mombasa port.
The Dock Workers Union alleged that the provision of private labour was benefiting cargo handlers and some of the authority’s officials who work in cahoots to deny workers their rightful payment.
“We now have prove that the shortage of labour at the port is artificial. Shipping lines pay about Sh500,000 per vessel to agents and handlers who pay loaders only Sh200,000 with the difference being shared out among the three parties,” said union secretary general, Mr Simon Sang.
Leave the port
Claiming that it was after unearthing the scam that they decided to chase away the private loaders, he added: “This is a lot of money and we did not want it to continue so we told them to leave the port and asked KPA to provide labour.”
While KPA public relations manager Bernard Osero was unavailable for comment over the allegations, the Kenya Ships Agents Association (KSAA) executive officer Mr Juma Tellah denied knowledge of such an arrangement.
“I am not aware of that,” Mr Tellah said. “But we are still experiencing problems with the shortage of labour since shipping lines and cargo owners benefit from the private loaders who are more efficient compared with KPA workers.”
The claims come in the wake of delays to offload cargo from vessels, which has been blamed on failure by KPA to provide workers to load and offload cargo at the conventional berths.
The Dock Workers Union alleged that the provision of private labour was benefiting cargo handlers and some of the authority’s officials who work in cahoots to deny workers their rightful payment.
“We now have prove that the shortage of labour at the port is artificial. Shipping lines pay about Sh500,000 per vessel to agents and handlers who pay loaders only Sh200,000 with the difference being shared out among the three parties,” said union secretary general, Mr Simon Sang.
Leave the port
Claiming that it was after unearthing the scam that they decided to chase away the private loaders, he added: “This is a lot of money and we did not want it to continue so we told them to leave the port and asked KPA to provide labour.”
While KPA public relations manager Bernard Osero was unavailable for comment over the allegations, the Kenya Ships Agents Association (KSAA) executive officer Mr Juma Tellah denied knowledge of such an arrangement.
“I am not aware of that,” Mr Tellah said. “But we are still experiencing problems with the shortage of labour since shipping lines and cargo owners benefit from the private loaders who are more efficient compared with KPA workers.”
The claims come in the wake of delays to offload cargo from vessels, which has been blamed on failure by KPA to provide workers to load and offload cargo at the conventional berths.
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