Roland Ekama, Lagos
President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju has warned dockworkers nationwide to desist from participating in cargo examination at the terminals, saying the union would deal with members flouting the directive.
Adeyanju who gave the directive, while reacting against the background of rising cases of cargo vandalisation at the nation’s seaports by suspected Wharf rats ,noted the union has integrity to protect.
The union boss reiterated that there were increasing cases of cargo vandals in most of the terminals at the seaports thus members must not get close to consignments under examination, thus to avoid any form of indictment or implications from security agencies at the ports.
He maintained that cargo examination at the the terminals should be conducted by security agencies of the government, especially as it has to do with officials of the Nigeria Customs Service and not the labour workers assigned to discharge their legitimate responsibilities.
The President General stressed that dockworkers involvement in examination of consignments may lead to connivance in perpetrating criminal a thus the need for them to desist from partaking in the process of goods inspection at the ports.
”I don’t want anyone to put the name of the union in bad light. That is why I called the branch officers of dock workers and part of my meeting with them is to read my own riot act.
”Any of my workers, any Labour or any unit or district officer that gets himself involved in stealing, or conniving with anyone to steal will be expelled from the union,” he warned.
Recall that there have been reported cases of cargo vandals at the ports nationwide, even as the recent incident occurred at the Onne Port in Rivers State , whereby five suspects were arrested in connection with a container laden with pharmaceutical products
Meanwhile, the Lagos ports have also had experience cargo vandals and pilfering by Wharf Rats .
There have been reported cases of vehicles vandalisation , pilfering of Air Force equipment and car theft at some of the terminals.
