The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday, threatened a showdown with government maritime regulatory agencies under the Ministriee of Transportation , Labour and Employment alongside other private employers over issues bothering on workers welfare and anti labour related activities.
National President NLC, Comrade Joseph Ajaero disclosed this during a working visit to the national secretariat of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
Ajaero who expressed worries over the non compliance of employers of labour in the shipping Industry was responding to challenges raised by the President General MWUN ,Comrade Adewale Adeyanju , called on the maritime union to issue two weeks ultimatum to any erring employer of labour saying, a picketing committee will be set up with immediate effect to ascertain the solidarity movement ahead of the notice.
The NLC President queried to know the port economic regulatory noting that the Nigerian Shippers Council NSC has failed to carry out it’s mandate as ombudsman and umpire of seaports operations.
“Who is in charge of the terminal operators I mean who regulates them. Is it NIMASA, NPA or Shippers Council, we need to know who is in charge ?
The NLC boss lamented that multiple government agencies at the ports have made the workforce suffer setbacks against the backdrop of improper conduct and regulations of maritime activities.
He further urged Comrade Adeyanju to be ready for the fight ahead with government and private sector employers of labour in the industry adding that  workers from  Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) must be treated fairly with the right welfare packages.
While emphasizing on the eighteen years non increment of junior workers of the NPA,the labour leader called on the federal government to clarify the templates for the welfare packages of the workers.
Earlier, Comrade Adeyanju had highlighted some of the challenges faced by workers in the sub sector.
Adeyanju stressed the need for the restoration of onboard ship gangway security and tally clerks, calling on the NLC to intervene in furtherance to address the dredging of Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt ports.
According to the PG, “The presence of onboard ship gangway men and tally clerks in port operations is statutory. This supported by the dock labour rule of 1997, the National Dock Labour Act 2003 part x, this position is further supported by the NIMASA Act ,Part VII – Maritime Labour.
“Because of time ,I will have to stop for now but a letter which will contain a comprehensive list of our issues will be addressed to your revered office ,”Adeyanju reiterated.
Adeyanju seek NLC intervention on the blatant refusal of the International Oil Companies refusal to obey government marine notice 106Â of 2014 and extant stevedoring regulations , pointing out also of the refusal of government agencies to pay aged seafarers monthly pension inspite of court ruling.
He also frowned at the 13,000 job loss during port concessioning in 2006, lamenting that”We don’t know we regulates the terminal operators in Nigeria.
However, Adeyanju who is the Deputy President of NLC further directed the secretary of the MWUN to issue the two weeks ultimatum as requested by the NLC frontman to the Labour and Transport Ministries to further drive home their demands.
By Roland Ekama
