By Uzor Odigbo
Despite the meeting arranged between the International Oil Companies (IOC) and top officials from the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Wednesday, fresh indications revealed that the economy of Nigeria would suffer billions of Naira loses as the industrial action entered day two on Thursday.
The meeting, it was learnt, deadlocked as both parties could not reach a formal agreement on the payment of all outstanding entitlements being owed the labour workers by the IOC’s.
The President-General of union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju told newsmen that no headway was reached at the meeting due to the uncompromising stance of both parties.
The MWUN President-General, insisted that the meeting failed to yield positive result thus the strike will continue.
“The meeting was deadlocked, so the strike continues tomorrow,” he declared.
Meanwhile, members of the union who spoke to some online newspapers noted that day two of the strike would attract some level of entertainment as there will be live performance of musicians and DJ to thrill stakeholders at the premier port gate.
Similarly, the Council for Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA), has vowed to show solidarity with MWUN saying, that “An Injury To One Is An Injury To All”.
According to a statement signed by the General Coordinator, Comrade Stephen Okafor and two others on Wednesday ,noted that justice must be served, because ” Every labour worker deserves its wages.
However, insider sources said that the inability to agree on the total amount to be paid was the major cause of the deadlock.
“The IOC’s were not willing to pay all the entitlements at once. You know this issue has been on for more than a year now, and the entitlements due to the workers cover that period, and the IOC’s were willing to upset the payment in tranches, but the workers won’t agree.
“They want the entire payment of over a year due to them paid. That is the reason for the deadlock, but we hope the reconciliation meeting continues maybe tomorrow because we cannot afford to have the ports not working.”
Meeting with IOCs deadlocked
Meanwhile, port operations remain crippled as the labour workers block entries into ports nationwide.
Negotiations with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) on Wednesday was deadlocked as both parties failed to reach a formal agreement as the IOCs failed to pay the outstanding wages owed the labour workers.
A visit to Apapa port gate on Thursday reveals that vehicles and port workers were denied entrance into the port.
The President-General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju told newsmen that no truce was reached due to the uncompromising stance of both parties.
Adeyanju insisted that the withdrawal of service continues on thursday.
His words, “The meeting was deadlocked, so the strike continues tomorrow,”he declared.
Another source privy to the meeting added: “The IOC’s were not willing to pay all the entitlements at once.
“You know this issue has been on for more than a year now, and the entitlements due to the workers cover that period, and the IOC’s were willing to upset the payment in tranches, but the workers won’t agree.
“They want the entire payment of over a year due to them paid. That is the reason for the deadlock, but we hope the reconciliation meeting continues maybe tomorrow because we cannot afford to have the ports not working.”