Union To Shutdown Seaports Operations Nationwide To Protest IOCs Defiance

For continuously taking both the maritime workers and the federal government in its various mediation roles for granted, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has said it would beginning from Tuesday, January 9, 2024, challenge alleged serial acts of snub by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the country by shutting down the nation’s seaports, jetties, and oil and gas platforms.
MWUN President General,  Comrade Adewale Adeyanju in a statement made available to our reporter accused the IOCs of continued refusal to comply with the nation’s stevedoring extant laws.
It will be recalled that the Union had written series of letters and issued several ultimatums to remind the IOCs of the respective marine notices given by NIMASA and several ministerial orders, all of which appeared to have been ignored by the management of NPA and the IOCs, the most recent being the one dated June 13, 2023 with ref.no. MWUN/MD/NPA/SC/U/1.23, reminding NPA of efforts contained in duly signed communiqués over the past three years.
The statement released by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media, MWUN on behalf of the PG therefore demanded the total compliance of the IOCs  to the stevedoring regulations in line with the communiqués signed by all the relevant stakeholders in the sector.
The statement accused the NPA for being dishonest and for being the greatest obstacle in view of its failure to be alive to its responsibilities.
The statement reads, “The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as master stevedore and industry regulator is wholly saddled with the responsibility of granting operational licences to stevedoring companies to provide stevedoring services for designated IOCs in Nigeria.
“The NPA also have the enduring duty to use its oversight and regulatory authority to ensure respect for law and regulations in the country’s dealings with the International Oil Companies (IOCs), who make use of the services of the stevedoring companies; and by extension, Members of Maritime Workers Union as Workers in (IOCs) employ.
“However, it’s saddening that the NPA have abdicated its sole responsibility by allowing the IOCs to run an unimaginable riot without control in the sector. As a responsible social partner and a Union which operates strictly in line with extant regulations, MWUN have since 2018 severally brought to the NPA’s  attention the refusal of the IOCs to honour the provisions of the extant stevedoring regulations and the continued violation of the remittance of Union Cheque-off dues in line with the extant stevedoring regulations.”
The union warns that failure by the NPA and IOCs to rectify the situation within the given ultimatum will result into withdrawal of services by its members, nationwide.
“As a bridge of the extant stevedoring laws stated, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, will on the 9th Tuesday, 2024 shut down the seaports nationwide, after the expiration of the three (3) work days already given to NPA commencing from the 4th of January, 2024.”