The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has threatened to shut down the nation’s seaports, jetties and oil and gas platforms from next week Tuesday, given the continued refusal of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and stevedoring contractors to comply with the nation’s extant laws.
The union in a statement by the Head of Media, MWUN, John Ikemefuna, on Thursday night, said the threat came after the expiration of the three work days already given to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
The union said it had written several letters, including ultimatums and marine notices; given by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and several ministerial orders, alleging that they were serially ignored by the management of NPA.
To this end, the union demanded total compliance of IOCs to the stevedoring regulations, in line with the communique signed by all the relevant stakeholders in the sector.
The union alleged that the NPA as a master stevedore and industry regulator, wholly saddled with the responsibility of granting operational licences to stevedoring companies to provide stevedoring services for designated IOCs in Nigeria, was saddening that the NPA has abdicated its sole responsibility by allowing the IOCs to run an unimaginable riot without control in the sector.
“As a responsible social partner and a union, which operates strictly in line with extant regulations, MWUN have since 2018 severally brought to the NPA’s attention the refusal of the IOCs to honour the provisions of the extant stevedoring regulations and the continued violation of the remittance of union cheque-off dues in line with the extant stevedoring regulations.
“As a bridge of the extant stevedoring laws stated, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, will on Tuesday, Jan 9, 2024, shut down the seaports nationwide after the expiration of the three work days already given to NPA commencing from Jan 4, 2024.”
