The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has read the riot act to defiant port, jetties and oil terminal operators, who refuse access to dockworkers and their registered employers.
President General of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said in a stated that the union would take action against the operators, who fail to abide by an extant Federal Government marine notice issued through Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 2014.
According to the labour leader, the extant directive titled, “Marine Notice” Government Notice NO. 106 ON Stevedoring Regulations , 2014, must be complied with.
He said that the union would take action against all dock labour employers and private operators of any work location including Ports, Jetties, Onshore or Offshore Oil and Gas or bonded terminals, inland container depots (ICDs), off dock terminals, dry ports and platforms, who refuse access to registered stevedoring companies and dockworkers.
Adeyanju added that the operators action which is illegal will be met with resistance by the union should they continue in disregard to rules guiding their existence with relation to the union activities.
On the lingering issue of dredging the Calabar channel, Adeyanju asked for urgent government attention to address it as a way of creating employment and improving commercial activities in the area.
The unionist also commended the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh; Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, and Chairman of Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, for their workers friendly activities and maintaining cordial relationship with the union.
The press statement read in full..
‘We at the MARITIME WORKERS UNION OF NIGERIA, wish to direct the attention of the general public to a ‘MARINE NOTICE Government Notice No. 106 on Stevedoring regulations, 2014 issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) which has been widely published in the print and electronic media.
The MARINE NOTICE government notice No. 106 as well as the Associated Stevedoring regulation 2014 are operational guidelines issued by NIMASA to all dock labour employers and private operators of any work location including Ports, Jetties, Onshore or Offshore Oil and Gas or bonded terminals, inland container depots (ICDs), off dock terminals, dry ports and platforms.
We have noticed with dismay that some of the stakeholders mentioned above have continued to flay this government directive by their blatant refusal to grant the government appointed and NIMASA registered stevedores and dock workers access to the operational areas allocated to them by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
This is not acceptable to us as we cannot seat back, fold our arms and watch our members being disallowed to pertorm their statutory duties that fetch them their daily bread.
We therefore use this medium to sound a note of warning to those stake holders who feel that they can always flout government directive with impunity and in effect expose our members to starvation, to have a rethink and allow the government approved and NIMASA registered stevedores and dock workers access without let or hindrance, the operational areas government allocated to them to perform their legitimate duties.
We shall not hesitate to engage in a manner that has never been witnessed in this land, such stakeholders that see them selves above the law.
We however wish to applaud the Director General, tNiMASA – Dr. Bashir Jamoh for the numerous successes recorded in his first 100 days in office.
The energy and spate of innovation he has brougnt into tre agency is a pointer to many laudable achievements in the pipeline.
We also want to acknowledge and commend the commitment of the Managing Director, NPA Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman for the wonderful job done in the Authority which to mention as few include the payment of severance package to the erstwhile Tally Clerks and On- Board ship gang way security men, the drastic face lift of decayed infrastructure in NPA etc.
However, we would like to use this medium to request the Managing Director, NPA to look into the lingering issue of dredging the Calabar channel which contract we are reliably informed had been awarded many years back.
We believe dredging the Calabar channel will positively boost trade and commerce in the Niger Delta area and further help boost revenue to the Federal government while als0 creating employments for Nigerians.
We want to assure the public of our readiness to partner with the two Government Agencies in maintaining peace and industrial harmony in the maritime sector and we will continue to do s0 as long as fairness, equity and justice which they have brought to bear in the system is maintained.
We wish once again to express gratitude to our members, stakeholders, namely the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Management led by Ms Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman, Management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Ied by Dr. Bashir Jamoh and the Chairperson of the Seaport Terminal Operators of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, for creating conducive work environment for our members.
