MWUN holds solidarity as Dockworker dies onboard vessel at ENL Terminals

By Dapo Olawuni

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) yesterday held a solidarity movement as a dockworker, Ademola Akande died while on duty, working onboard a vessel at ENL Terminals.

ENL Consortium is one of the port concessionaires at Apapa Port in Lagos.

President of the Dockworkers Branch of MWUN, Comrade Tajudeen Ohize confirmed the incident to our correspondent. He however did not give the name of the vessel.

Ohize described the unfortunate incident as one of the hazards of being a dockworker at Nigerian ports, even as he confirmed that the remains of the dockworker has been taken to his home state in Ibadan and buried immediately.

He debunked reports that the union had shut down the terminal in a protest, saying that the workers only held a solidarity movement for one of their own, describing it as a usual practice when anyone of them dies.

Comrade Ohize however commended the Vice Chairperson of ENL Consortium, Princess Vicky Hastrup describing her as a worker friendly chief executive who has shown sympathy and support for the workers and the deceased family.

He assured that all entitlements due to the deceased worker would be taken care of.

Comrade Ohize said that “MWUN was not protesting, it is a normal accident that usually happens, I was there with them throughout today, everyone knows that it is an hazard of the job that could happen at anytime, so nobody reacted”

“It was an accident onboard of the vessel, the deceased has been buried in Ibadan, the family understands everything, but we just held the solidarity for him as our member”

“The woman (Vicky Hastrup) is very concerned and sympathetic about such things, she has called me today up to four times, when it comes to labor, she does not joke with us”

When asked the name of the vessel, Ohize said he could not get it off hand.

He however confirmed that ” The incident happened at night and very early in the morning I was there with them, nobody protested, everyone just came together to show sympathize ”