The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), on Tuesday, shut down economic activities at Nigeria premier seaports, Apapa and Tin-Can Island, in Lagos.
However, economic activities were not disrupted in the nation’s aviation sector as aviation unions stayed out of the indefinite strike action.
It could be recalled that the directive to shut down the ports and embark on an indefinite strike was to protest the assault on the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and other Union’s officials allegedly on the order of the government of Imo State.
The union also disclosed that the continued refusal of government to implement agreements, non-payment of backlog of salaries, pensions, discriminatory payment of salaries and non-compliance to national minimum wage was responsible for its strike action.
In a statement by the head of Media, MWUN, Com. John Ikemefuna, the indefinite strike, commenced at midnight of Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
Consequently, Port workers have prevented users from accessing their offices, thereby disrupting economic and commercial activities at the ports.
According to a port user, Yusuf Liadi, the protesting workers prevented clearing agents and workers from accessing their various offices.
According to him, cargo laden and empty container laden trucks were prevented from accessing the seaports.
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“We have been here since 7am and we can’t access the port. The labour unions have shut down operations, no truck go in or come out,” he stated.
Another user, Mukaila Oladimeji, stated that he was returning home because he couldn’t access the port.
He disclosed that he had some cargoes to exit out of the port, but with the strike action, that won’t be possible on Tuesday anymore.
”I have to return home. I can’t access the port to exit my cargo. The importer will have to pay terminal operator additional storage charges for today,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the aviation unions were in a closed-door meeting at the time of this report discussing whether to join the strike action or not.
Speaking exclusively to LEADERSHIP, the President, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Com. Kabir Gusau, said his association was weighing its options due to the court pronouncement against the strike action.
He stated that he wouldn’t want his association to be caught on the wrong side of the law, hence the need for thorough discussion with members of the association.
Gusau further said that ANAP will make its position known after the meeting on Tuesday.
“We are currently in a meeting and we wouldn’t want to be caught on the other side of the law,” he told our Correspondent.
However, LEADERSHIP gathered that routine economic activities are currently ongoing at the Lagos Aiport with aircraft and passengers arriving and departing the the airport.
