Seaports shutdown: IOCs reach out for truce, to meet maritime workers

The ongoing strike action of the Maritime Workers Union of
Nigeria (MWUN) which has led to a total shutdown of all Seaports in
the country took a new twist at exactly 10:30AM on Wednesday when
the NPA Executive Director, Marine Operations, Dr Sokente Davies
came to meet with protesting port workers at the Apapa port gate,
assuring them that the International Oil Companies (IOC) have
called for a meeting by 1 pm.

Addressing newsmen shortly after meeting with the MWUN
leadership, the NPA Executive Director who came on behalf of the
NPA MD Hadiza Bala Usman explained that the Authority is with the
workers over their unpaid entitlement from the IOC’s.

According to the NPA MD, “you can see the action of the MWUN. It
is an action geared towards making sure people obey rules and
regulation in this country.

“The stevedoring contractors were appointed over a year ago, on
the 28th of May 2018. That was when they were appointed, but since
last year, the workers are not being paid. Some of these workers,
their children have been out of school for a while due to
non-payment of their entitlements by the IOC’s. Some families have
even broken up due to this issue.

“So the management of the NPA empathises with the workers over
their situation. We empathise with the workers because we are the
ones who appointed the stevedoring contractors.

“However, we are going to sort the issue because the IOC’s, who
are the major recalcitrant in this matter, have started calling for
a meeting since the workers began their action.

“The awareness has been created, and we believe the meeting that
will hold by 1 pm today will solve the issues.”

Also addressing the media, the President-General of the MWUN,
Comrade Adewale Adeyanju reiterated the desire of the Union to
continue with the strike action until the final outcome of the 1 pm
meeting.

In his words, “We will be attending the meeting with the IOC’s
by 1 pm. Until then, nothing has been agreed. The strike remains
total.”

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