Due to the government’s unwillingness to address some of the issues in the sector, the Nigeria Labour Congress has threatened to shut down the nation’s seaports.
This was stated by the NLC President, Joseph Ajaero, to the media on Friday in Apapa while paying Adewale Adeyanju, the president of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, a courtesy call.
Ajaero tasked Adeyanju with giving the Federal Government a two-week deadline to assess employee pay and handle several industry-specific issues.
He contends that the government ought to specify whose job it is to examine port concession contracts.
He added that no one would blame the MWUN for not being patient enough having waited for two years.
He said, “You wrote to the minister of transportation in 2021 August and 2022 came and passed and we are approaching August 2023. President, if it is going to be possible, give them two weeks ultimatum from today. They will call us if not, you know the central position of maritime in Nigeria even in Africa. Nobody will toil with anything that concerns our workers.
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“On this issue alone, labour has been writing since 2021 and this is 2023. I, as the NLC president, do not have any sympathy for anyone who is toiling with the interest of our workers. MWUN president, the decision is yours. When you decide, do them a letter and shut the seaport in the country.”
Ajaero charged the ministries concerned including the ministry of transportation and labour to do their jobs.
“If they do not act on this, NLC will join you. We are going to give you a solidarity action,” he added.
Reacting, the President of MWUN, Adeyanju, said, “We will be giving two weeks ultimatum to the Minister of Transportation to come and explain who is regulating terminal operators. And if nothing is done, we will be shutting down port operations. Thank you for giving us the ultimatum and I want to confirm here that the ultimatum will start on Monday, 6th March 2023. If the government fails to respond, we will shut down the port.”
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