The West Africa Container Terminal in Onne Port, Rivers State, has unveiled a firefighting truck, a recovery tow truck, and a water bowser truck to enhance safety at the terminal.
In a statement on Thursday, the terminal explained that the move was part of efforts to mark the 2024 Annual Global Safety Day at the port.
The statement added that the event, themed “Be Curious Because We Care,” reflects the terminal’s primary priority: ensuring the safety of all workers, contractors, and stakeholders.
“It is our licence to operate, and the commitment we make every day to our colleagues is that no matter what their work is, or where it is, they will go home safely at the end of the day,” the statement read in part.
The General Manager of Government and Public Relations at WACT, Innocent Ogbuji, said the terminal is committed to safety and continuous improvement.
He emphasised the importance of safety by encouraging colleagues, government officials, and everyone present to be curious about safety in the right direction.
“All this while, safety has been engineered from the top, but we want it to start from you. That is why we want you to be curious. From the top, we make policies and processes, and you carry them out. But now, we want you to question things to learn more about the process and improve it. We also encourage the government agencies to be curious about us,” he said.
The Health, Safety, and Environment Manager of WACT, Adeboye Ogunpolu, said the terminal is committed to ensuring that everyone who comes to the terminal, including workers, customers, vendors, and government agencies, “no matter what their work is, or where it is, gets to go home safely at the end of the day.”
According to him, the company has deployed proactive initiatives to ensure safety is at its peak, including the procurement of a brand-new firefighting truck, a recovery tow truck, and a water bowser truck.
The Senior Safety Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority at Onne Port Complex, Osuntuyi Niyi, commended WACT for observing the annual event aimed at promoting safety in the workplace.
Niyi reiterated NPA’s vision to deliver efficient port services in a safe, secure, and customer-friendly environment.
“Safety is very paramount, and it is everybody’s responsibility. Ensure you take safety very seriously in your day-to-day operations,” he said.
The 2024 Global Safety Day celebration was attended by many stakeholders, including representatives from the NPA, Nigeria Customs Service, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, among others.