The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will next week commence severance payment to disengaged tally clerks and onboard security men at the eastern ports including Port Harcourt, Warri Onne and Calabar. This followed the completion of the Lagos Zone payment exercise, which ended on Wednesday.
Disclosing this is a chat with SHIPS & PORTS, the President-General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, described the exercise in the Lagos area as the most peaceful in the history of dock labour exercise in the country.
Adeyanju said there were less challenges in the process and payment was devoid of violence as against previous exercises, adding that the union does not envisage any challenge in the eastern ports as the beneficiaries have been duly verified and would be paid accordingly.
He said, “On the 16th of January, they will be on their way to Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onne and Warri ports for the commencement of the exercise. We are not envisaging any challenges in the eastern ports with regards to payment because the one conducted in the Lagos Zone was very peaceful. This is the best severance package so far that we have had and about 95 percent verified have received their benefits.
“Remember in 2006, nobody could gain entrance into the NPA sport complex in Bode Thomas for similar exercises because there was violence everywhere and the security personnel on ground were over one hundred.
“Now for this exercise, I can tell you that there were no security personnel on ground to protect the affected workers and there was no form of violence from anybody in respect of the payment and so I am vindicated. The exercise will move to the eastern ports for those on the axis next week.”
Adeyanju, who expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Transportation and NPA for their roles in making the payment possible, reiterated the union’s commitment to the workers’ welfare and packages.
