Amaechi orders immediate payment of disengaged tally clerks, onboard security men

By Dapo Olawuni

Nigeria’s’ Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has ordered the payment of severance benefits to tally clerks and onboard security men who were disengaged from the port in 2005.

In a press statement sent to our correspondent at the weekend, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) announced that the minister has directed the union to liaise with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to arrangements for the payment.

In the statement signed by the union’s President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju and Secretary-General, Felix Akingboye, the union expressed appreciation to the minister and the management of NPA for supporting the course of workers.

Nigeriamaritime360.com recalls that NPA and MWUN early 2019 concluded a verification exercise to settle outstanding payments owed tally clerks and onboard security of the union’s dockworkers branch.

Amaechi has however conveyed the approval of the payment in a letter dated 5th September 2019 to the President-General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju.

A copy of the letter sighted by our correspondent was signed on behalf of the Minister by the Deputy Director, Coastal and Ports Administration, Balarabe Wali.

It reads in part “Further to our letter dated 8th August 2019 on the above subject matter, I am to inform you that approval has been granted for the payment of severance benefits to the verified disengaged tally clerks and onboard security men as recommended, to maintain peaceful industrial harmony. You may therefore liaise with the NPA for further details and necessary action,”

MWUN in its subsequent press release stated that “The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) had caused in the past to inform you of the several engagements and dialogues we have had with the Nigerian Ports Authority, Federal Ministry of Transport and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on the need to pay severance benefits to our members – tally clerks and onboard gangway security men whose services were disengaged during the port concessioning exercise”

“During all of these various engagements and negotiations and in spite of attempted disruption of the process of dialogue, we dutifully maintained peace and decorum in the industry and refused to be distracted from our goal.

“Sequel to the foregoing, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria is delighted to announce that the Federal Government has directed and given approval for payment of severance benefits to the already verified tally clerks and onboard gangway security men.

“We are also pleased to announce that we are in receipt of a letter from the Federal Ministry of Transportation which conveyed this approval while also directing the Union to liaise with the NPA management to effect same.

“We wish to thank our members, stakeholders, management of NPA, Hon. Minister and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport and the Hon. Minister and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for their support of workers course,”