MWUN calls on NIMASA to sanction APMT, other terminal operators for anti- workers policies

Segun Oladipupo

Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Tuesday lambasted the management of AP Moller Terminal (APMT) for its refusal to develop dockworkers working in the terminal but instead prefers to engage citizens of neighbouring countries like Cotonou, Ivory Coast, others as dockworkers in Nigeria.

The union also frowned at the incessant flouting of labour laws of the country even as it called on the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to sanction all terminal operators found wanting in the country.

Speaking at the launching of e-platform for registration of dockworkers in Apapa on Tuesday, the President General of the union, Comrade Abdulwaheed Adewale Adeyanju stated that the concessionaires were making a lot of profits but failed to empower the workers they use to make the profits.

The MWUN PG therefore called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to sanction the concessionaires and other terminal operators who are in that habit of contravening the laws of the land.

“The training is not for NIMASA alone. Who are the end users? The stevedores, the terminal operators. If NIMASA is doing its own, what stopped terminal operators from training their workers.

“The worker that is well empowered, the worker that is well trained, will perform. You don’t ask NIMASA or NPA all the time to go and train dockworkers, it is the responsibility of the terminal operators who engage them, it is there in the Act and in our NJIC

“How many of the APMT workers that contributed immensely to the growth of this terminal have they trained? Let them come out. How many of the dockworkers have they trained in their terminal and they are making so much money but you are not empowering the workers of this terminal?

‘Instead of them to train dockworkers, they will go to Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cotonou to employ dockworkers against the responsible dockworkers of this great country.

“Why are we blaming NIMASA? We should blame the end users that have no regards for the laws of this great country and this is the time for the DG of NIMASA to wake up and sanction all these erring terminal operators who have no regards for workers 

“They have no regards for the laws of this great country and they are making a hell of money to go and develop their own country.

“I will not allow them anymore. This is a message to APM terminal and other terminal operators who flout the rules of this great country, we are not going to allow that anymore. 

“They gave us uniform, boots, helmet, is that training? Those are safety equipments required by the law, we are talking of empowerment. Give them orientations, 

“It took me three days before we were able to get something reasonable for the workers of this place,” he averred