MWUN Warns Lekki Freeport Terminal Over Alleged Failure To Comply With Local Content

The President General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju on Friday , warned management of Lekki Freeport Terminal (LFT) against giving out jobs that are meant for Nigerians to expatriates

He gave the warning when he paid a working visit to the port in company of the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero.

Emphasizing on the cabotage act , Adeyanju called on the terminal operators to avoid what could lead to labour unrest at the terminal saying that they should observe the law of local content of Nigeria.

He fumed that the union would not allow any expatriate who does not have respect for Nigerian workers to take the jobs meant for Nigerians adding that members of the union have requisite knowledge about terminal operations.

Adeyanju who also doubles as the Deputy President, NLC stated that members of the union working at the LFT are professionals from other terminals across the littoral states before been poached to work at Lekki seaport.

 

He said “I came with you in order for you to know what we have done for workers in the maritime sector. The way the GM was saying it was sweet but we know what we passed through before getting here.

“We cannot allow expatriate to take the responsibilities to themselves. The job Nigerians can do, give it to them. The law is very clear on this.

“When we started, we took workers from all ports across the federation, they are experienced workers. For somebody to say that they are not capable is not allowed.

“We don’t want to turn this terminal to battle field. Do not run away from local content. I have been to other countries, I know how they do it there.

“Any expatriate that do not have respect for our members will not be allowed.

Speaking further, Adeyanju asked the terminal management to respect the working hours at the port stressing that any extra hour a worker is made to perform should be counted as overtime and it should come with a reward.

 

The PG noted that “Keep to the work time and anything above the normal work hours should be counted as an overtime.

“We did not say you should not bring your expatriates but the jobs that Nigerians can do should be given to them.

In his remark, the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero while buttressing the call by the PG, asked the terminal operator to avoid what can led to industrial crisis ,even as he asked the management to treat the information as an alert to avert any issue that can lead to unrest.

Ajaero said “What is important is for you to apprehend crisis. The information he gave is an alert so that we would not have crisis.

“You have to work hard to make sure that what you are doing here is not spoiled.

“The efforts of establishing the port is commendable but the cooperation of the workforce to make it work is very important.

“If there are people who want to spoil your work, we have to stop it. ” Ajaero appealed.

 

Responding, the Managing Director of LFT, Christophe Cassagne promised to work on the hint dropped by the union even as he said it was a big issue to resolve.

The terminal added that they would work with the intelligence because they want to sustain the peace between the management and the union.