Threatened to shut down port operations

In i bid to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of dock workers and other members of the union, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) under the leadership of Comrade Dr Adeyanju Adewale, fnli, HFCPSP has threatened to shut down port service in Nigeria in the next few days.

In a statement signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media, MWUN, the Union said “From  Tuesday, the 9th of January, 2024, the MWUN will shut down all the nations seaports, jetties, and oil & gas platforms; given the continued refusal of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Stevedoring Contractors to comply with the Stevedoring extant laws”.

According to the statement, “The Union had written series of letters, press releases, ultimatums, marine notices; given by NIMASA and several ministerial orders, all these were serially ignored by the management of NPA, the recent was dated June 13, 2023 with ref.no. MWUN/MD/NPA/SC/U/1.23, over duly signed communiques spanning over there years”.

While calling on the the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to enforce and bring to bear its regulatory functions and powers,  the MWUN noted that NPA as master stevedore and industry regulator is wholly saddled with the responsibility of granting operational licences to stevedoring companies to provide stevedoring services for designated IOCs in Nigeria.

“The NPA also have the enduring duty to use its oversight and regulatory authority to ensure respect for law and regulations in the dealings of the International Oil Companies (IOCs), who make use of the services of the stevedoring companies; and by extension, Members of Maritime Workers Union as Workers in (IOCs) employ”.

“It is  saddening that the NPA have abdicated its sole responsibility by allowing the IOCs to run an unimaginable riot without control in the sector”, the Union said.

Expressing its grievance and dismay over breach of extant regulations, the Union said  “As a responsible social partner and a Union which operates strictly in line with extant regulations, MWUN have since 2018 severally brought to the NPA’s attention the refusal of the IOCs to honour the provisions of the extant stevedoring regulations and the continued violation of the remittance of Union Cheque-off dues in line with the extant stevedoring regulations”.

“The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, will on the 9th Tuesday, 2024 shut down the seaports nationwide after the expiration of the three (3) work days already given to NPA commencing from the 4th of January, 2024”, the statement declared.