MWUN Issues Terminal Operators 14-Days Ultimatum to Flush Out Illegal Employees

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a fourteen days ultimatum to terminal operators to identify and fish out illegal employees hanging around their terminals, the union says that these are the elements perpetrating acts of pilfering inside Nigerian Ports and giving the legitimate dockworkers a bad name.

The ultimatum was handed down yesterday by the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju at a special meeting with the workers in Lagos.

Adeyanju also warned terminal operators who are understaffed to employ more dockworkers to ensure efficient operations at the ports, he lamented some terminal operators, especially SDV Terminal were using only fifteen dockworkers to carry out the work of 400 containers.

The union leader apparently disturbed by recent reports of activities of criminals at the port known as “Wharf Rats” stated that the 14 days ultimatum is issued to terminal operators to rid their terminals of unwanted camp boys and hangers on.

He advised the terminal managers to consult with the police and the district and unit officers of the union to flush out anyone who have no business being inside the port.

Speaking on activities of the wharf rats, Adeyanju said “These people are not our members but they are giving us a bad name”

He also called on the branch, district and unit executives of MWUN to flush out any unregistered dock workers among them. 

While speaking, he stated that the illegal dock workers who infiltrate the port was in connivance with some bad elements of the union who are not satisfied with their salaries.

“Enough of spoiling the name of dock workers and if they are spoiling our names, let all of us stand up and make sure that we flush them out”

“That is the directive I am giving to the President of dock workers and I am giving you fourteen days ultimatum to make sure that all the district and units flush out port rats among them”

“What is happening in the port now if all of you are reading papers, or on social media, should not drag dock workers into problems”  

“I am directing the dock Workers President to make sure that all the district and unit executives should stand and do their jobs as at when due”

“You dock workers cannot tell me you don’t know yourselves. The name they give all of us, if anything bad happens in the port is not good, but if good things are coming, they will not mention our names.

“It is some of us that are conniving with those kelebe (camp boys) because you believe your salaries are not enough for you, that is why you bring an outsider to come and steal in the port”

“I am giving final warning to all the district and unit executives, anybody that is not a dock worker and you parade such person as a dock worker in the terminal and they report you, you will be  expelled from the port.

“They should not destroy this union because it has come to stay and they should not give us names that are not ours,” he warned.