Maritime Workers Suspend Industrial Action At Apapa Port, Say “We Used APM Terminals As a Scape Goat”

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called off the Industrial action it had embarked upon at the APM Terminals Apapa Lagos on Thursday, saying that the union has used the terminal as a scape goat to teach other eering terminals a lesson.

Recall that the terminal had shutdown all operations at the APM Terminals over alleged anti labour practises including employment of foreigners to take over jobs belonging to Nigerians, racism and so on.

President General of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju disclosed during a working visit to the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council , Mr. Hasan Bello in Lagos on Friday that have suspended the Industrial action

Comrade Adeyanju assured that the union would soon engage other terminal operators who are bent on treating Nigerian workers with disdain and disrespecting the laws of the country.

He said “What we have done at APMT for almost two days is part one, part two is coming.

“Part two will be between me , the union and the erring terminal operators, who are bent on disrespecting the laws of this land. We only used APMT as a scapegoat for others to learn.

He also assured stakeholders in the maritime sector that union is not a weak group but a law abiding body that has what it takes to protect workers and their welfare.

He also frowned at the multinationals engagement of expatriates on job description adding that Nigerians has what it takes to do better than their foreign counterparts.

According to him the union would engage the Minister of Interior on the need to scrutinize the foreigners who hide under the guise of working in Nigeria without the requisite documents.

Comrade Adeyanju called on the Nigerian government to look inwards by beaming it searchlight on foreigners and their work permit expiration date noting that the Nigerian Immigration Service and other agencies on foreign affairs should work round the clock to put the expatriates in check.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary Nigerian Shippers’Council, Mr. Hassan Bello lauded the effort of the union for the scientific approach in the industrial action against APM.T.

According to Bello, the Council and the union would work assiduously to sustain the peace and harmony that have existed in port operations pointing out that the terminal operator has allegedly refused to abide to the laws of the land.

Bello stressed that ” Nobody should come to Nigeria and disrespect us. We support the union for putting the terminal operator to order . We have rules and regulations, we have laws and we have sanctions and nobody should come to our country and take us for a ride.”