MWUN frowns at Transport Ministry over unpaid benefits to Seafarers

“I directed the Branch to invite the retirees of the defunct NNSL. If our country has respect for retirees, I don’t think we would still be sitting down here and talking about your gratuity and pension”

By Uzor Odigbo

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has officially declared a trade dispute against the Ministry of Transportation over the unpaid allowances to workers of the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) after it’s liquidation 27 years ago.

Addressing some of the 2,000 unpaid former workers of the company who are now aged and dying gradually, President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju disclosed that the union has declared the trade dispute against the transport ministry and that it would ensure that the rights of the workers are paid.

Recall that NNSL, established in 1959, was liquidated despite fresh investments by the government, owing to mismanagement. That led to selling off the 21 vessels in the fleet after incurring so much debt.

Comrade Adeyanju noted that the matter has been taken before the courts and a case was won in favour of the retirees for the government to pay up their pension and gratuity.

“I directed the Branch to invite the retirees of the defunct NNSL. If our country has respect for retirees, I don’t think we would still be seating down here and talking about your gratuity and pension.

“It is because our past leaders have no regard for people that have put in their lives for the service of this country. Your matter would now be one that the whole world would be involved on the issue of your pension and gratuity”

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“I met this case on my table when I resumed office, we have been looking for ways to resolve it, but now, we are out,and we would use all resources available to us”

“This is your right,and nobody can take it away from you, you have contributed to the success of this country, the government supposed to have paid this money”

“But as it is now, we have declared a trade dispute against the Transportation Ministry, reconciliators would be set up to see how the money would be given to you. If I don’t do this now, somebody else would do it better than me”

“I urge you to exercise patience on this matter as we are working to get your rights for you” Comrade Adeyanju said

He reiterated his assurance to the retirees that he would address the matter before he leaves office.

‘You took the government to court and you have won the case against the government, the court judgement asked them to pay your gratuity and your pension. They should come out and tell us why they have not done that” he said

The MWUN PG noted that some of the retirees were paid a token, while others have not been paid.

“We are doing a follow up on this matter by sending people to Abuja, the matter is under two ministries of labour and ministry of Transport” he concluded

The former workers of the defunct NNSL, who are still alive, are now old, incapacitated and living on begging to feed themselves, even as others have died from malnourishment, diseases and depression among others.

One of the affected seafarers, Oluwashina Otutu, who worked with the defunct shipping line for 15 years, lamented that he was yet to be paid his entitlements by the Federal Government.

He narrated the harrowing experience of the seafarers who have been abandoned, adding that feeding has become an uphill task for them, let alone being able to take good care of themselves and their families.

He maintained that the abandoned seafarers have explored many avenues to address the issue without success.

Some of the measures, according to him, include protests to the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the head office of NIMASA on several occasions.

He stated that they were given empty promises several times. According to Otutu, the seafarers were 2012, invited for screening and verification for processing of their entitlements but yielded no positive result