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By Steve Agbota, Lagos
The Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) said on Thursday that dockworkers who work at the ports have had their take-home increased by 2000 per cent since the Federal Government introduced the port reform in 2006.
STOAN Chairperson Vicky Haastrup said this in Apapa during the maiden edition of Dockworkers Day organised by the Shipping Correspondent Association of Nigeria (SCAN) on the theme: “Dockworkers, the unsung heroes of port reforms.”
In her opening remark, Haastrup said that before the port concession, dockworkers were poorly paid, adding that there was no condition of service.
According to her, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and terminal operators has ensured industrial harmony.
She said today, the average take-home pay of a dockworker has increased by more than 2,000 per cent over what it used to be in 2006, adding that the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the union and terminal operators has also ensured industrial harmony at the port.
“Before the concession, dockworkers were poorly paid. They did not have conditions of service. Indeed they did not have identifiable employers. Their safety, in the course of performing their duties, was not taken to heart. They were exploited, dehumanized, and underpaid. They were paid between N2,000 to N4000 then,” she explained.
Haastrup who is also the Executive Vice Chairman, of ENL Consortium, thanked the Federal Government for the 2006 port concessions.
Also speaking at the maiden Dockworkers Day celebration, President-General of MWUN Adewale Adeyanju congratulated SCAN for putting together the eventful programme to celebrate Dockworkers: the veterans and our unsung heroes still on duty.
“The Federal Government posited that the objectives of the reform include: to increase the efficiency of the port operations and elimination of overlapping between Nigerian Ports Authority as a technical regulator and other agencies.
“The ports were delineated in 2006 to 25 Terminal operators with lease agreements ranging between 10 to 25 years. Until now, the agreements have not been renewed because of inter-agency rivalries and the culprits are the unsung heroes: the dockworkers, it is said that when two elephants fight the grass suffers.
“I want to congratulate SCAN for putting together this eventful programme to celebrate our own: the veterans and our unsung Heroes still on duty,” Adeyanju stated.
Delivering the keynote address, the Registrar, Port & Terminal Management Academy Of Nigeria, Dr Samuel O Babatunde said that four factors necessitate Port reforms.
“No Doubt, the Ports has benefited from the Private Sector Experience of Ability to fix things Right. In likewise manner, Dockworkers has strategically assisted in the actualization of the desires of Port Reforms in the following ways: “The Degree of Theft in Our Seaports has reduced drastically from recorded 55 per cent now to 15 per cent under the Port reforms; the degree of Port efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness has improved tremendously from previous figure of 25 per cent now to 85 per cent; the degree of cargo handling in all the Seaports has equally take a tune under the Port reforms from less than 25 per cent now to as much as 75 per cent,” he said.
Earlier, the President of SCAN, Eugene Agha, said that the role of dockworkers cannot be over-emphasised.
He said that yearly global seaborne grade is estimated at N33.2 trillion.
“The global seaborne trade boasts an estimated yearly N33.2 trillion. With Nigeria as a maritime country, and its ports gateways to both regional and global trade, driving economic growth and fostering international cooperation, the role of dockworkers cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.
He added that the roles of dockworkers are glaring especially during COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, thanked SCAN for organising the programme.
“Dockworkers are truly unsung heroes. How will any port function without them. This is so deserving for those who make the port to run.
“We are in solidarity and offer our partnership, friendship to move our country to the next level,” added.
