MWUN Urges Ijaw Nation To Support Seaports Investments In Niger Delta Region

By Roland Ekama 

 

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on the Ijaw nation to support all forms of investment aimed at promoting seaport operations in the Niger Delta region.

MWUN President General, Comrade Francis Bunu, made the plea when top executives of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Lagos Branch paid a working visit to the union’s secretariat on Monday.

According to the President General, the union will support any initiative: whether from the state government or the federal government aimed at promoting maritime activities.

The MWUN top gun reiterated that creating more seaports or revamping underutilized ports in the South-South region would create jobs for Nigerians and the teeming youth, while noting that the maritime industry remains the gateway to the nation’s economy.

He also called on the Ijaw nation to help protect creeks, rivers, lakes, and streams from criminal elements, pointing out issues bothering on disputes between communities have led investors to shy away from maritime businesses.

 

Bunu tasked Ijaw leaders to emulate Lagos’s port operations system, noting that communities should look beyond mere corporate social responsibility and embrace long-term benefits for their youth.

Apparently satisfied with the INC leadership, the PG described the group’s leader, Comrade Harry Tonye, as an insider with the wherewithal to lead.

He affirmed that securing the Niger Delta is paramount to encouraging investments, stressing that youth unrest must be discouraged to attract investor interest.
The President General pledged to support the group in various ways toward achieving greatness.

Earlier, INC Lagos Branch Chairman, Comrade Harry Tonye Leonard, commended the union’s boss for prioritizing workers’ welfare since assuming office as MWUN President General.

Tonye noted that the federal government has all it takes to revamp the eastern ports, saying they should be given top priority to ensure optimal operations.

He maintained that relative peace prevails in the region, urging the government to implement measures for the seaports’ optimal utilization.”It is a matter for the federal government and importers, who decide where the goods will go. What the federal government is doing is laudable because all ports should be viable.

Tonye stated that the Ijaw nation will support MWUN’s leadership toward achieving success.

He also threw his weight behind the federal government’s decision to ensure the eastern ports—especially Warri Seaport—thrive.

Similarly, Barrister Patrick Agbeotu predicted that Bunu’s leadership will succeed and urged him to explore maritime opportunities in the Niger Delta to further develop the region.

Earlier, Elder Regent Youmo thanked the leadership for the President General’s open-door policy in embracing the group. Youmo prayed that Bunu would soon take on bigger roles in Nigeria and abroad.