18 December 2014, Lagos – Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Wednesday made good its threat to shut the nation’s ports operations over lingering disputes with government.
Some of the grievances of the union are unpaid wages and other issues affecting the Tally Clerks/On-board Security, minimum standard for Dockworkers and NPA staff welfare matters among others.
It was gathered that as early as 7 am, workers were withdrawn from their duty posts across the port formations in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt’s, Calabar and Onne, effectively crippling all operations nationwide.
Both Presidents of Dockworkers and Nigerian Ports Authoity, NPA branches of MWUN, Mr. Adewale Adeyanju and Adeleke Sanni, respectively, addressed the workers at both Apapa and Tin Can Ports and assured them that the issues would be fought to a logical conclusion.
Lamenting the loss incurred as a result of the strike, President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Alhaji Shittu Olayiwola said when members of the MWUN were on strike, the agents would not be able to work.
According to Shittu, agents cannot work because the Dockworkers are needed to do examination on containers just as stevedores are also needed for vessels to discharge.
