Day 2: Maritime Unions Shutdown Port Operations as Operators lament

Tayo Oladipupo

There seems to be no end in sight in the ongoing warning strike as both the senior and junior unions in the maritime industry have insisted that the strike must continue until the government reviews the workers’ welfare.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) Auditor 2 and National President Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association Comrade Matthew Alalade told our correspondent in a chat that the first day of the strike was perfectly executed as a sign of expressing workers’ grievances to the government.

Alalade maintained that operational activities at the port were halted on Thursday, calling on the federal government to consider the plight of the workers so that the strike could be called off.

The President, Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association said, “Day 1, good start. I pray that the Federal Government should be sensitive to workers’ plight.

“The warning strike will last for 7 days. The Nigeria port is not operational. Unless those in diaspora,” he stated.

In the same vein, his counterpart in Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju while speaking with our correspondent on telephone stated that there was a nationwide shutdown of port operations across the country in the first day adding that the strike continues on day 2.

According to him, the implication of such strike is always enormous on the economy. He however called on the federal government to meet the demands of the workers so as to discontinue the strike.

He added that the union was on ground nationwide to ensure compliance by workers.

“The port was shut down across the nation because the welfare of workers is paramount. “The warning strike continues today but we pray that it is reviewed so that there will be a reprieve. “You know the billions that the government will lose if there is a strike action like this. “I have my lieutenants everywhere monitoring the situation, no company opened yesterday and it continues today”, he concluded.

Meanwhile, operators have started counting their losses as a result of the strike action embarked upon by the Nigerian workforce.

Alhaji Abdullahi Inuwa, a truck owner also in a chat stated how the strike will have a ripple effect on the people and other beneficiaries of their services.

Inuwa who is a member of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) said, “The strike has really affected port operations generally and not limited to the truckers alone.

“You know on one single truck, an average of 20 earn their living on it, that is from the driver and his family, motor boy, loaders and off loaders (Labours) Agents, Commission Agents etc. also that I mentioned drive their living in truck.”

While reacting to the warning strike, foremost terminal operators SIFAX Group maintained that its staff were at work.

Philips Ojo, a senior executive from the Public Affairs department of the organisation told our correspondent, “We are at work today.”