We did not scam anyone – MWUN

The leadership of Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has debunked allegation that It scammed the disengaged dock workers due for collection of their severance package anytime soon.

The President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju said this in reaction to reports making rounds on an online platform that the union scammed the disengaged workers.

The workers had alleged that the Nigerian Ports Authority and the union did not give what rightly belongs to them having served the nation for several years.

They said they expected to get more than the N400, 000 flat rate earmarked for all the over 2000 severed workers.

But reacting, Adeyanju stated how the leadership of the union had worked hard to make sure that the union got the money out for them.

According to him, this set of workers were not factored into the concession agreement hence when their employers were sacked in 2015, they were also laid off without plans of payment of any package for them

He stated further that the union thought it wise that it would not be good to allow them go without having anything, it took it upon itself to fight the course out of court which led to the sum paid to them.

The PG said, “I don’t know what they meant by scam. I met this matter on ground and we did all we could to make sure that something was offered them.

“These are the people that have been removed from port because the concessioning arrangement did not recognise tally clerk and on-board security men. That is when the appointment of their employers was terminated in 2015.

“So, they sacked everybody and I want to commend the Ministers of Labour and Transportation and the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki who through their wisdom gave approval that a severance package be given to the dock workers that have been sacked along with their contractors in 2015.

“I thought it won’t be easy talking to the government while the case is in the court so, I advised that it should be withdrawn from court.

“Tally clerks form integral part of dock workers and if you look at our NJIC, it is very clear, they fall under extra services, they are daily paid workers.

“You know we have three modes of operation in the port, we have permanent employment, we have payment by tonnage and we have extra services. The tally clerks fall in that category. Now, as I am talking, majority of them have collected their pensions from pension administrators and it was this same Adeyanju and other leaders that fought for it before they were paid,” he maintained.

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