Wike Bows To Pressure,As Dockworkers Regain Freedom In Port Harcourt

The dockworkers recently detained by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt, have been released, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has disclosed.

President General of the organized labour group, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju who spoke with newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos, frowned at the arrest of the workers embarking on their legitimate means of livelihood ,even as he called on the Rivers State Government to drop all charges levelled against them..

Adeyanju also called on the Wike’s led government to release the union staff buses that was confiscated during the arrest , saying its the only means of transportation for the dockworkers to and fro the Port Harcourt seaport due to the movement restrictions amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

He added the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command had a robust interaction members of the union ,noting that” Respectful stakeholders in the industry and from our affiliate labour congress have intervened for them to regain their freedom “.

“My major concern here is that the government should drop all the charges levelled against our members because they are not criminals and that is our stand.

“Even our buses under their custody should be released to the terminal operators as well.

“They did not commit any offence neither have they violated any restrictions before they were detained.

“As a responsible union we applied wisdom to whatever we are doing most especially during the coronavirus pandemic era.”

Comrade Adeyanju also commended the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council ,Barrister Hassan Bello and the National President, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ayuba Wabba for their timely intervention for the release of the dockworkers.

Also, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Rivers State Government to release the detained dockers .

Wabba lamented that it would be anomalous and antithetical to the collective fight against COVID19 if workers are not playing their part as frontline soldiers to sustain the current state of the economy.

In a statement dated 13th May 2020 , signed by the NLC President and addressed to the governor, explained that it was in the spirit of the partnership with the union that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive for dockworkers to be part of the essential service providers and for them to be exempted from movement restrictions.

Wabba further urged the state government to release the official vehicles belonging to the union in furtherance to aid effective port operations.

Recall that the union had issued 48 hours ultimatum, starting from Monday to the Rivers State Government to release members of the dockworkers branch or will be forced to shut down all nation’s seaport by Wednesday.

The union had called on the Minister of Transport , Mr Chibuike Amaechi Rotimi and other well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on Governor Wike to immediately release it members and the staff bus which was also impounded.

The union in a statement signed by the President-General of MWUN, Com. Adewole Adeyanju, described the arrest as unlawful saying that the workers are providing essential services to the nation’s economic sustainability.

 

 

By Roland Ekama