Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie
The Maritime Workers ‘Union of Nigeria says it is set to go on an indefinite industrial strike starting from first March 2022 over what it termed as refusal of International Oil Companies operating at the various Port terminals to obey federal laws guiding their operations.
The Trustee, Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Waite Harry shortly after the Central Working Committee meeting said the fourteen days ultimatum given to the federal government through the Minister of Transportation to address the issues, has elapsed without any way forward.
Waite Harry said the despite the order by the Minister of Transportation that all labour contractors should man the port terminals, the IOCs has since not heeded to the order.
“The IOCs are not obeying/respecting the laws of the land. Before they were given their oil platforms, terminals, and private jetties to operate, they were informed that these platforms were going to be manned by labour contractors. So for them to refuse these contractors access into the platforms to work, is against the laws of the land. Last year June 30th, the minister of Transportation, called for a stakeholders meeting, and gave seven days within which all labour contractors should access these platforms to start work,but up till now, owners of there private platforms denied them access to take over their jobs! This unacceptable! And we will resist such effontry from there IOCs”, Waite fumed.
Harry said the Union will no longer tolerate the insubordination of the IOCs in the country’s Maritime sector.
He said the Union is shutting down activities at all the nation’s sea port to demand compliance with the rule of law by the IOCs.
“We can no longer close our eyes, we won’t allow these IOCs to disobey the laws of Nigeria. They o ey the laws in their various countries where they come from and operate, why can’t they obey the laws of Nigeria?!. This is what we can no longer take from them. And when we talk of Maritime activities to be shut down on the first of March, we talking about the Nigeria Ports Authority, all Seafarers activities, Shipping operations across the country to totally shut down!”.
