A terminal operator, ENL Consortium, has facilitated the vaccination of over 600 dockworkers working at its terminal.
The Executive Vice Chairman, ENL Consortium, Mrs Vicky Haastrup, explained in a statement on Monday that it was part of its resolve to support the Federal Government in curtailing the COVID-19 pandemic.
ENL Consortium is the operator of Terminals C and D at the Lagos Port Complex Apapa.
Haastrup said that the dockworkers’ vaccination exercise, which was carried out from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, was conducted by authorised health officials.
“The federal and state governments, as well as the World Health Organisation (WHO), have told us that COVID 19-vaccines are effective and can lower the risk of getting and spreading the virus.
“Vaccines also help prevent serious illness and death in children and adults even if they get infected by COVID-19, and don’t forget that port workers, including dockworkers, are essential workers.
“The ports must keep operating round the clock in order to keep the economy moving and to ensure the continuous supply of essential commodities to Nigerians.
“Dockworkers are important to ensuring continuity at the port, and we care for their well being,” she said.
Haastrup added that these are the reasons why they deemed it necessary to invite health officials into the port and encourage dockworkers to get vaccinated.
“This is in support of the effort by the government to put an end to this pandemic,” she said.
A representative of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Kunle Bamimodu, commended the terminal operator for the kind gesture.
“We want to appreciate the gesture of our leader in the person of the Executive Vice Chairman of ENL, Princess Vicky Haastrup, who brought this initiative to the workplace.
“This is because it is not that convenient for workers to move around because of the nature of our work
“Without mincing words, this is a nice gesture to the workers. We all appreciate her for bringing this
exercise to the terminal. It makes it easy for us to get vaccinated.”
