BREAKING: MWUN Issues Seven Days Ultimatum To PTOL Over Lack Of Safety Kits For Dockworkers

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a seven days ultimatum to management of Ports and Terminal Operators Limited (PTOL), over failure to provide safety and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for dockworkers at the Port Harcourt port.

The union frowned at the non compliance by the terminal operator to provide the requisite safety standard equipment for workers at the facility, saying failure by the concessionaire to comply with the ultimatum means withdrawal of service from the terminal.

DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA had reported exclusively on Tuesday, that the dockworkers at the facility were unprotected without properly by the concessionaire .

According to a letter signed by Comrade Louis A. Agbi, Asst. Secretary General of the branch, dated May 6th 2020, called on management of PTOL to provide standard safety and PPE for workers otherwise the union will be forced to embarked on indefinite withdrawal of service in solidarity to the affected workers under the facility

According to him ,”COvID-19 Pandemic is a present and real threat, decimating
live increasingly, nationally and globally.

“Measures have been put in place by the Federal Governnent and all health
agencies to delimit as much as humanly possible its spread.

“These measures have béen put in the public space for all to see and abide with and include provision of hand gloves, safety helmets, face mask, sanitizers, overalls, safety
boots, soap and water, to dockworkers who are at the frontlines, working to enșure the economy runs.

“It is therefore serious unease that we learnt of your non provision of PPE for our members who are Dockworkers in your terminal despite the fact of your awareness of the exposure they face each time they come to work.

“We view this as gross negligence and indifference to the health as safety of
our members in the face of the ravages of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“It seems your only interest is economic and capital accumulation.

“As a responsible Union, the health and Safety or our members is of paramount priority and we expect that they are protected at all cost especially in this perlious tirme.

“Therefore, we wish to strongly draw your attention to the fact that the provision of PPE for Dockworkers is a standard requirements
for terminal operations and not a privilege.

“Consequent to the foregoing I am directed to put on notice for Seven (7) days ultimatum starting from the date of letter within which period you are expected to provide our
member- Dockworkers PPES, to enable their safety and protection while at work

“While we strongly urge you to listen to good reason, please note that in the event of your failure to provide PPEs for our members, the Union will have no choice but to withdraw the
services of our members from your terminal indefinitely without any recourse to further dialogue,”he noted.