Apapa Gridlock, Why we failed to take action after 7- day Ultimatum - MWUN

Tayo Oladipupo |

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has explained why it did not take actions after the expiration of the ultimatum given to the federal government over repairs of Oshodi/Apapa expressway in February this year

It explained that the Federal government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the union promising to complete the road by second quarter of 2018.

Recall, that, the union in a statement gave the federal government a seven-day ultimatum to remove all parked trucks on Oshodi-Apapa Dual Carriage Way and filled all craters and potholes on all access roads to the nation’s ports to make them motorable, after which its members would down tools and commence nationwide indefinite strike.

The President General of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju who spoke Wednesday against the background of the ultimatum, said MWUN and the government signed an undertaking that the union could not afford to flout. He said the union could hold the government responsible if it failed to fix the road at the end of the second half of the year.

“They said second quarter, and we already in the second quarter. Whatever they see after the second quarter, they should not blame the union. The agreement still stands as regards fixing the roads.

Meanwhile, a task force that to enforce regulations on Collective Bargaining Agreement CBA in line with seafarers’ welfare has been inaugurated.

The President General of the MWUN, who disclosed this, said the taskforce would address challenges of the seafarers.

“It has to do with the problems Seafarers are facing in the port and we believe that the jobs Nigerians are doing, are not supposed to be given to foreigners.

“This flag of convenience is known all over the world that the job meant for Nigerians should not be given to foreigners.

“By setting up that taskforce is to bring us closer to indigenous ship owners in order to synergize and create employment for our members.

He assured that, members of the Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other relevant stakeholders would be involved in the operation which would kick off after May Day celebrations, in either Warri or Lagos to achieve the desired result.

On the issue of faceless manning agents recruiting for indigenous ship owners, he said, “we are yet to meet the manning agents but we have written to NIMASA, the custodian of the manning agents

“We want to know who the manning agents under the seafarers are because we don’t know them”.