Adeyanju issues 14 -day ultimatum to union officers to flush out wharf rats

Segun Oladipupo |

The President General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju has issued a fourteen day ultimatum to the all district and unit officers of the union to flush out port rats from the ports.

Adeyanju gave the ultimatum while briefing the district and unit executives on developments in the union on Wednesday in Lagos.

He expressed dissatisfaction on how the name of the union was dragged in the mud with recent reports of pilfering in the ports.

As a result, he called on the branch, district and unit executives to flush out any unregistered dockworker from the port within fourteen days saying failure to comply, will attract penalty.

While speaking, he stated that the illegal dockworkers who infiltrate the port were in connivance with some bad elements of the union who are not satisfied with their salaries.

“Enough of spoiling the name of dock workers and if they are spoiling our names, let all of us stand up and make sure that we flush them out.

“That is the directive I am giving to the President of dockworkers and I am giving you fourteen days ultimatum to make sure that all the district and units flush out port rats among them.

He stated further that any officer found culpable of harbouring any illegal dock worker in the terminal would be expelled from the port even as he said that the executives could not absolve themselves from connivance with the camp boys who carry out the pilfering.

“What is happening in the port now if all of you are reading papers, or on social media, should not drag dockworkers into problems.

“I am directing the dockworkers President to make sure that all the district and unit executives should stand and do their jobs as at when due.

“You dockworkers cannot tell me you don’t know yourselves. The name they give all of us if anything bad happens in the port is not good but if good things are coming, they will not mention our names.

“It is some of us that are conniving with those kelebe (camp boys) because you believe your salaries are not enough for you that is why you bring an outsider to connive and steal in the port.

“I am giving final warning to all the district and unit executives, anybody that is not a dock worker and you parade such person as worker in the terminal and they report you, you will be expelled from the port.

“They should not destroy this union because it has come to stay and they should not give us names that are not ours,” he warned.