The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) will commence verification exercise to settle outstanding payments owed tally clerks and onboard security of the union’s dockworkers branch.
Recall that the dockworkers were disengaged by NPA in December 2015.
But in a memo dated 14th December, 2018 and signed by the General Manager, Human Resource, NPA, Y.G Bukar on behalf of the Managing Director, titled “Addressing the Request for Payment of Severance Incentive to Disengaged Dockworkers”, a copy of which was obtained by SHIPS & PORTS DAILY, the NPA said the verification exercise will take place from Monday December 17th to Friday 21st at the various ports locations in Lagos, Onne, Rivers, Calabar and Delta.
The statement reads: “Sequel to the meeting held with the leadership of dockworkers for severance incentive to be paid to disengaged tally clerks and onboard security, the committee constituted to examine the demands of dockworkers will be embarking on a verification exercise at the different locations in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Rivers and Warri.
“The National Association of Stevedoring companies is hereby informed of the exercise and charged with the dissemination of the information as scheduled to the respective employees.”
The NPA said to ensure a hitch-free session, the affected dockworkers are to bring along their identification of employment, form of identification while next of kin of deceased employees are to provide proof of employment of the deceased employee.
When contacted, the President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, confirmed the development to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY.
He commended the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, for the gesture which he said would finally lay to rest the allegations from aggrieved workers that the union is conniving with the authority to withhold the payment.
He said, “The NPA in conjunction with the union are embarking on the verification of tally clerks and on-board security men on Monday. This move has put to rest the rumour that NPA is not ready to pay and that the union is conniving with the authority.
“With this development, we want to thank the NPA management for this gesture.”
