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By Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ordered the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to shut down the nation’s seaports and terminals over long unresolved issues with government agencies and operators in the sector.
The President of the NLC, Comrade Joseph Ajaero gave the order on Friday during his courtesy visit to the union secretariat in Lagos when MWUN explained that the International Oil Companies (IOCs) refused to obey government Marine Notice of 2014 and Extant Stevedoring Regulations and that the government also refused to pay aged seafarers monthly pension, in spite of a court ruling.
However, Ajaero charged MWUN to write the Ministries of Labour and Transportation and to issue two weeks ultimatum to address various issues and some of the challenges facing maritime
workers in the sector, saying that failure to take action will lead to shutting down the whole maritime industry.
He said the government must review maritime workers’ salaries and to also explain who has the responsibility of reviewing port concession agreement.
He added that no one will blame the MWUN for not being patient enough, having waited for two years.
“Let the ministries concerned, including the Ministry of Transportation and Labour do their jobs. If they don’t act on this, NLC will join you. We are going to give you a solidarity action,” he said.
