Maritime Workers Union on Red alert !!! The era of using dockworkers’ name to perpetrate evil is gone, Says MWUN President, Comrade Adeyanju 

Maritime Workers Union on Red alert !!!

The era of using dockworkers’ name to perpetrate evil is gone, Says MWUN President, Comrade Adeyanju 

* Threatens dismissal of members culpable of corruption at seaport

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is currently on red alert against corruption at the nation’s port.

MWUN is also giving a strong warning signal that the name of innocent dockworkers must not be dragged through the mud following activities of government agencies at the port.

The President-General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju gave this strong warning while addressing dockworkers yesterday, when Port Standing Task Team (PSTT), paid a working visit to the Union’s Secretariat at Olodi, Apapa, Lagos.

His assertions :  “The era of using the name of dockworkers’to perpetrate evil at the nation’s port is gone.

Nigeria belongs to all of us and we must salvage it together and bring sanity to the industry.”

“MWUN will work with the Port Standing team to ensure we we have a conducive environment to operate. Maritime is a chain, whatever happens at one unit affects other areas, as well as the entire port system”.

Speaking further, Comrade Adeyanju sounded a serious warning to dockworkers from all formations to be patriotic and not get involve in illegality, or any act of corruption in the port. He stressed that there will be severe consequences for any Union member found culpable of sabotaging government’s efforts in development the port industry.

His assertion :. “If you are a dockworker and caught in drug trafficking, product samples pilfering, or any form of corruption at the port, you cease to be our member”.

“I am using this opportunity to tell dockworkers not to allow a situation where they will be used against themselves. Don’t allow government agencies to use your name; or yourselves against fellow dockworkers. We are against illegality and not dockworkers”.

Also speaking, the Deputy President-General of MWUN, Comrade Tonye Harry explained the strategic importance of dockworkers at the port and the entire maritime industry. He emphasised the need for dockworkers to be exemplary in behaviour at all times.

Comrade Harry pointed out : “Dockworkers are integral part of the port system. They are always the first to resume at the port and the last to leave.

“We are ready to work with Port Standing Task Team. Aside this meeting, MWUN is working tirelessly in sensitising members on the need to support government policies in moving the system forward. Aside this visit, we always have our town- hall meetings on regular basis”.

In his remarks, the District Chairman, who spoke on behalf of the District said: “A serious warning has been given today.  Even before now, a serious warning was on ground regarding samples taking from a container or cargo. Taking samples is not the duty of dockworkers”.

In the same vein, the Coordinator of PSTT, Mr Moses Fadipe expressed great pleasure on the warm reception given him by MWUN. He disclosed that MWUM under the watch of Comrade Adeyanju will receive an official letter drafting his members to join Port Standing team, to enhance efficiency in the port system.

He warned dockworkers to desist from helping government agencies to convey samples when containers are opened for examination.

He informed :  “A container being opened for examination is still under the process of cargo clearance. Until final delivery is done, whatever item taken out of it is theft. What should be done is random sampling to ensure the authenticity of the product. But when many items are taken from the same container, the importer incurs losses when such items are not returned to the consignee.”

According to him, PSTT inaugurated in 2020 with a mandate to check sharp practices in the nation’s port has made tremendous achievements in promoting ease of doing business and  tackling the issue of excessive demurrage payment, which amounted to saving Vessel Masters demurrage of a whopping sum of about N3.2 billion in 2021 alone. This, he said is unprecedented in the history of Nigerian port industry.

The meeting moderated by the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Training, Research Education and Media, Comrade Erazua Odigie, had a large turn out of dockworkers from various units, as well as maritime reporters who came as observers.