TINCAN PORT TOLLS:MWUN MEETS PM OVER CRISIS

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) under the leadership of Comrade (Prince) Dr. Adewale Adeyanju, fnli, HFCPSP on Friday the 11th August, 2023 met with the Port Manager, Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, on crucial issues concerning the Union and its members over the recent impasse within the port where members of the Union officially operate as legitimate workers.

It was made known that MWUN has Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as a branch of the Union; hence, the all important visit to confidentiality inform the Port Authority management that the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and its members who are bonafide workers in the port are very well organized, and as such are in no way involved in the illegal toll collection and the disorder that emanate therefrom.The Maritime workers union stated that some faceless associations and unions are the cause of the disruption and unwanted crisis at the port by means of illegal sales of tickets and extortion from truck drivers.

Comrade Adeyanju also made it clear to the Port Manager that MWUN has no business being on the roads since it is not its constitutional right to operate within the roads. The roads as it were belongs to the National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW ) otherwise known as Lagos State Park & Management and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria ( RTEAN ). In the course of discussion, Adeyanju also pointed out clearly that Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) are constitutionally guided to operate within the ports and its axis and not outside the ports. And that it is legitimately binding on the Union to always collaborate with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority in all its activities at the port; hence, the Union will never engage in any illegality or collaborate with any association(s) or group of persons to engage on operation capable of causing harm to the development of the port and its operations, or to the detriment of the nation's economy at any point in time.

The number one Maritime labour leader reechoed that the Union will no longer tolerate any more targeted attack on innocent Dockworkers, who are out for their legitimate duty by thugs who parade themselves as association or union members within the ports to cause commotion, citing the recent attack before now where four of the Union members were brutally attacked and murdered by these faceless associations and unions. Adeyanju reiterate that the union will from henceforth match force with force if by any means any Dockworker(s) are attacked again in the port as the past continuous occurrences must not play out any more under any guise or pretence.

He declared that since the Port is the sole property of the Federal Government of Nigeria and is being regulated by same federal government agencies,hence any individual with an interest to pursue at the Port can only come into the port through the proper channel if need be but not through force or under any guise of revenue drive without the approval of the Nigerian Port's Authority (NPA).He noted that such unauthorized actions if not curtailed now will continue to brew crisis within the ports since the port is within the operational purview of the NPA and its regulators.He said"The rules are very clear, hence, MWUN cannot operate on the roads, while the ports remain the operational jurisdiction of MWUN."

According to him,"As enshrined in the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria Constitution, the Union has a Haulage District under a Chairman with eight units under it; all fall under the Dockworkers' Branch of the union with its Branch President. This District is the only body that is empowered by the Union to collect check-off dues from the truck drivers who are members of the Union which is in line with the Constitution of the Union. The Dockworkers' Branch are professionals at the harbour with skills of loading/offloading of goods and consignments from vessels; therefore MWUN has the exclusive right to operate within the ports without hindrance."

It is also on record that the Union has a collaboration with NARTO in this course, and the collaboration has since been made known to all Stakeholders in the maritime sector including the Lagos State Government, the NPA, Police, DSS, NIMASA, Shippers Council.

Having said this, any interested organization or parastatals must desist from unsanctioned incursions into the ports without the approval of the NPA, Shippers' Council, NIMASA, and other relevant agencies of the maritime sector.

All other faceless associations and unions must stop henceforth from illegal toll collection and extortion from truck drivers as this act of criminality will not help to build the nation's economy at the ports.

He affirmed that the Maritime Workers' Union of Nigeria will continue to partner with the NPA and other relevant government agencies in all its policies towards making our seaports operational friendly to all investors and maritime practitioners at all times towards the growth of the nation's economy.

The Port Manager in his response to MWUN President, admit the submissions of the pragmatic Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Com Adeyanju, describing him as a fearless labour leader whom he has so much respect for in the maritime sector, given his precedence when the Labour union was very raw and brutal to behold. He also noted that Com Adeyanju has brought so much innovation to the Union and its members and since then till date, he had always been in close relationship with the President -General of MWUN.

He also commended their enduring comradeship in the sector, pledging NPA's total dedication to the union in all areas of development towards achieving a common industrial growth for the purpose of the nation's ports in generating economic values for Nigeria.