The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) under the leadership of Comrade (Prince) Dr. Adewale Adeyanju, fnli, HFCPSP has directed all its members under the four branches of the Union to resume normal duties tomorrow Tuesday, 9th January, 2024 as the nation’s seaports will be opened for normal operations as against the notice of strike issued on the 4th of January, 2024 given the non-compliance of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Stevedoring Contractors on the extant laws, which they have continually violate for the past three years after several communiques have been signed by all the relevant stakeholders in the sector.
In a statement issued by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media, MWUN, the agreement was as a result of communiques signed on the deadline for full compliance with Stevedoring Regulations by Operators in the petroleum industry, which addressed the declaration of the strike action – to shut down the seaports, terminals, jetties and oil & gas platforms nationwide; hence, the following resolutions were arrived at:-
1) That though the IOCs have substantially complied with deployment of Labour, the matter of equipment deployment is to be examined within the next three months.
2) That meetings be facilitated within one week by the relevant regulators and the marginal field operators and all other non-compliant operators to ensure immediate compliance with the Stevedoring Regulations and granting of access to appoint Stevedores.
3) That full resolutions of all issues relating to compliance and grants of access to work locations to Stevedores by location Operators be sorted out between now and end of January, 2024.
4) That while these actions are being taken, the earlier communique reached Friday, the 5th of January, 2024 be immediately implemented as mark of good faith.
5) That based on the above resolutions, the Union has decided to lift the impending shutting down of the nation’s seaports.
However, the communiques of Friday, the 5th and Monday, 8th of January, 2024 respectively were jointly signed by Engr. Ibrahim Abba Umar – ED, E&TS, for Managing Director (NPA), Prince Adewale Adeyanju, fnli, HFCPSP, PG, MWUN and Comrade Bolaji Sunmola, President, NASO, also as contained on 8/1/2024, Mohammed Bello Koko – MD, NPA.
The Nigerian Ports Authority as the Master Stevedore and the Industry Regulator, this last time of the supposed crisis have laid to rest the protracted issues of the IOCs and the Union for now.
Adeyanju uses the medium to thank the Acting MD of NPA who held sway in the first meeting, commending him and his team for their tenacity and doggedness in handling the issues amicably before the Monday meeting where the MD presided over for the final communique that ensued.