• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Workers to shut down ports over unresolved issues with govt, IOCs

Five reforms to expect as Lagos ports begin electronic call-up

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has given its backing to the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to shut down the nation’s seaports over unresolved issues with the International Oil Companies (IOCs), shipping companies, and government agencies.

Joe Ajaero, president of the NLC, who gave the support at the weekend in Lagos when he visited MWUN, asked the union to write the ministries of Labour and Transportation and to issue a two-week ultimatum asking them to address the identified issues.

Ajaero said the failure of the government and other concerned parties to act will lead to shutting down the nation’s seaports.

Pointing out that NLC together with the union will set up a picketing committee that will cripple the operations of employers that fail to adhere to the law, he said the union has been patient enough having waited for almost two years.

“The regulators cannot be seen violating the law. Write to them and shut the ports for refusing to resolve the lingering issues and let the ministries do their work. We are ready to give you a solidarity action until the agreement is obeyed,” he added.

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Earlier, Adewale Adeyanju, president general of MWUN, said the refusal of IOCs to comply with government marine notice 106 of 2014 and extant stevedoring regulations as well as the government’s refusal to pay aged seafarers’ monthly pension in spite of court rulings have been causing problems for the members of the union.

Adeyanju, who doubles as the newly elected deputy president of NLC, also said the refusal of the government to restore registered onboard ship gangway security and tally men, issuance of seafarers’ identity documents (SID) by NIMASA as well as the refusal of shipping companies to negotiate minimum standard for workers as obtained with dockworkers and seafarers are among issues facing by the union.

Adeyanju added that the two weeks ultimatum will begin on Monday, March 6th, 2023.