Dockworkers Demand Reconstitution of Tally Clerks, Onboard Security Men At Nigerian Ports

—As NIMASA Celebrates Dockworkers Day 2025

Dockworkers operating at Nigerian ports under the aegis of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have called on the Federal Government to urgently reconstitute a pool of Tally Clerks and onboard ship Gangway security men, in order to curtail vulnerability of the port system.

President General of MWUN, Comrade Francis Bunu echoed the demand at the 2025 Day of Dockworkers celebration with the theme; “Safe Port, Safe Ship” organised by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Comrade Bunu said the Nigerian port system is incomplete without the Tally clerks and onboard security men because, it would be difficult to check importation of arms, ammunition and other unwholesome cargoes through the port terminals.

“On the issue of Tally clerks and onboard gangway men, without them, the work of the port is incomplete. There are so many things passing through the port that the government might not know ,but with the Tally clerks, the government would know what is coming into the country and going out, as well as the right tonnage.

“Some of these cargoes are just coming into the country underground because there is no proper Tally” he said

Also speaking on the safety of workers inside the port terminals, the MWUN President General said the ports as it were are unsafe.
He urged the Federal government to expedite action on its proposed rehabilitation and modernisation of the ports.

“When it comes to working conditions of workers, it is not safe, that is why the federal government have approved contract for all the ports to be rehabilitated to standard, and that is what we expect this government to do.

“Safety of workers is important, while they are working, industry players should provide them with all the safety apparatus”

Comrade Bunu while speaking on the welfare and remuneration of Dockworkers in Nigeria, resealed that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of workers would soon expire and there would be need for another negotiation. He said that the union is going all out to demand better pay for Dockworkers, and that it would no longer be business as usual.

The CBA is usually negotiated at a tripartite meeting of the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC)

“The NJIC for Dockworkers would soon expire, and when it does, we are going out in full, the government have recognised Dockworkers as essential service providers in the port, therefore they should be remunerated very well, our next CBA agreement would not be business as usual.

Speaking on the essence of the Dockworkers Day celebration, Comrade Bunu said “Today, we celebrate the hardworking men and women who keep our ports, jetties. Terminals and offshore platforms running despite all challenges. Without their dedication, maritime operations would not thrive.

“Our gratitude also goes to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), NIMASA, Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC), and NIWA for setting the standards that guide our industry.

“We also wish to appreciate our employers and leadership of the Seaports Terminals Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and National Association of Stevedoring Operators (NASO) for providing friendly working environment and safety for our members.

“We want to thank our veterans and elders who laid the foundations of what we have become today. Their vital contributions have helped tile the pathway which we still follow today and for this we remain eternally grateful.

“Dockworkers constitute the foundation upon which the nation’s port economy strives as they remain important in international trade facilitation, cargo handling and overall maritime development and to continue to undermine them will be inimical to the well being of our nation’s economy and must therefore be put up for redress”

Also speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the event, PG Emeritus of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju revealed that in recent times, there has been cases of Dockworkers deaths inside the port terminals but they were swept under the carpets.

Notwithstanding, Adeyanju who is also the Deputy National President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), appreciated the regulatoty agencies at the ports, noting that the ports are now better than the way they were befor the 2006 port concession.

“We need to thank the management of NIMASA, who are the ones taking good care of the Dockworkers welfare, together with the terminal operators. If you remember in 2006, the dockworkers had lost hope when we heard that the terminal operators were coming to take over the port operations as a consignee.

“But to God be the glory today, we were able to see that, together with the Nigeria Port Authority, the Nigerian Shippers Council, the DG NIMASA, and all the pass DG’s of NIMASA, put efforts in place before we were able to come out with NJIC.

The former MWUN President General tasked NIMASA to improve on safety of Dockworkers at the ports, especially in provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among others.

“Safety still needs to be more improved from all the terminal operators, not only the government, I mean, the Nigerian Port Authority or NIMASA, but NIMASA is supposed to focus more about this safety.

“Over the years, when somebody died on board the vessel, they don’t pay them what’s supposed to be given to them. But when I was in government, I think I was able to make sure that the rights of the workers are not being mortgaged by all those capitalists who doesn’t like the dockers, who doesn’t like their faces.

“Today, Dockworkers are the engine room that are making things to happen” Adeyanju stated.

The highpoint of the celebration was presentation of awards to deserving Dockworkers, match pass, tug of war, among other