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By Steve Agbota
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has raised the alarm over critical safety deficiencies at Tin-Can Island Port’s Five Star Logistics Terminal, citing negligence that led to the tragic death of a dockworker on Christmas day.
Dock workers at the terminal were distraught when a Liebherr Crane crushed a dockworker onboard vessel MSC Samu, who died instantly.
Speaking on the incident, the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Adewale Adeyanju, blamed the dockworker’s death on negligence by the terminal operator and the stevedoring contractor.
“I visited the terminal to pay a condolence visit, and what I saw was disheartening. There are several death traps inside Five Star Logistics Terminal, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more workers are injured or killed while working.
“Stevedoring is not factory work; it is a global profession with standards. In other countries, workers are well cared for, but here, it’s not the same. You have a vessel that requires close to 50 to 60 men working, yet there is only one supervisor onboard overseeing them. How can the supervisor monitor activities at the front, middle, and back simultaneously? Is he a robot?
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“I was furious with the management of the company because this is an anti-labor practice. I discovered many workers were wearing bathroom slippers instead of safety boots. Many were not wearing overalls or helmets. This is unacceptable,” he explained.
According to him, the terminal has two supervisors responsible for managing the Liebherr Crane, but neither was on duty, and this is pure negligence.
“Most terminal operators do not prioritise workers’ welfare. Only a few understand the importance of safety. We are talking about human lives. A responsible company would have already provided a clear explanation of what transpired,” he added.
Adeyanju further criticised the terminal’s stevedoring contractor for assigning only one supervisor onboard and onshore for a large vessel operation.
“This is terrible—pure negligence. This is not how port operations should be conducted. A vessel of this size should have at least three supervisors: two onboard and one onshore to manage operations effectively.
“We will file a report against the stevedoring contractor for their negligence. How can one person manage close to 40 workers? This is unacceptable anywhere,” he lamented.
