By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has directed workers to shut all port operations from Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
This directive is as a result of the refusal of the International Oil Companies, (IOCs) to allow the stevedoring companies access to their platforms to commence operations, denying dockworkers and stevedoring companies access to operate in the IOCs platforms as required by law.
The Union had on February 14, 2022, through the Minister of Transportation and Minister of Labour and Employment, and copied among others, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Director-General, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, threatened to shut ports operations nationwide from March 1, 2022, until the IOCs, comply with the laws.
President-General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, told Vanguard that nothing had changed, saying: “We have put all measures in place to begin a nationwide strike in the ports from Tuesday next week.
“We are not backing down this time. The only way the strike can be called off or suspended is for the government to prevail on the IOCs to respect the law.”
It will be recalled that the Minister of Transportation at a meeting held on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, with the IOCs, representatives of NPA, NIMASA, MWUN, stevedoring companies and other stakeholders, directed that the IOCs should within seven days allow the stevedoring companies access to their platforms to commence operations, which by extension, will enable the registered dockworkers along with the appointed stevedoring companies operate in the IOCs platforms.
But the IOCs have bluntly refused the appointed stevedoring companies to commence operations and has thus deprived our members (dockworkers) in the employ of the stevedoring companies access to work and earn a living.
This is a sharp contravention of the provisions of Government Marine Notice 106 of 2014, Adeyanju said.
“The Government Marine Notice 106 applies to all companies and persons engaged in Stevedoring work, including 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 Terminal, Dry Ports and Platforms.
“In view of the foregoing, the government is hereby placed on notice to the effect that the Union would embark on an indefinite strike in all the nation’s seaports with effect from Tuesday, 1st March 2022, if before then the IOCs are not compelled by the appropriate authorities to comply with the directive in this regard,” he announced.
