The ongoing strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has grounded port operations at Nigeria’s two busiest ports, the Apapa ports and Tin-Can ports.
Also, passenger train services provided daily by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) was halted in conformity with the NLC strike directive.
At the Apapa ports on Thursday morning, both gates leading into the ports were under lock and key by officials of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), an affiliate of the NLC.
President-General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju confirmed that all ports across the country have been shut down in compliance with the NLC directive on the strike action.
According to Comrade Adeyanju, “as an affiliate of the NLC, we have shut down all ports activities across the country.
“No port operations will be allowed to go on in line with total compliance with the NLC strike.
No truck or vehicles will be allowed into the ports, and none will be allowed to exit the ports. Compliance to the strike remains total.”
A Customs agent, Donatus Orji, explained that since the MWUN has joined in the strike action, it means harbour and stevedoring aspect of port operations will not exist.
In his words: “You know that for cargoes to be discharged at the ports, harbour and stevedoring services are very critical. Now the workers who do this jobs are not available, that automatically shuts down port operations.”
It was observed that the labour officials even locked out Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officials from gaining access into the ports.
However, after about two to three hours of being denied access into the ports, officers of the Apapa Customs Command were later allowed into the ports.
Spokesperson of the Apapa Customs Command, Nkiru Nwala confirmed that the labour leaders initially didn’t allow Customs officers access to the ports.
“Initially, our officers were not allowed into the ports by the labour officials. But after due consultation, we have been allowed into the ports. We had to explain to the labour officials that we are a paramilitary agency, and cannot join in the strike.
“However, no clearing agents or freight forwarder has been allowed into the ports. So, aside Customs officers who are now inside the ports, no other persons have been allowed in. Nothing is currently happening inside the ports,” the Apapa Customs spokesperson said.
Spokesman of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Bolaji Akinola expressed fears that if the strike persists, cargo build-up and possible congestion looms.
“Yes, nothing is currently happening inside the ports. The labour officials have shut down port operations. We, however, hope that the Federal Government and the NLC will quickly resolve the impasse that led to the strike action to avoid possible cargo buildup,” the STOAN spokesman said.
In a related development, passenger train services provided by the NRC was also grounded all through Thursday. Passengers were seen leaving the Ijoko train station and Agbado train station after been told by some NRC officials that there won’t be any train services in compliance with the NLC strike.
Several of the locomotive engines were seen parked at the Ebutte-Metta yard of the NRC.
Meanwhile, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has urged oil workers under the auspices of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), to halt their planned industrial action over a labour dispute involving the Management of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), a Multi-national Oil Company operating in Nigeria, and its staff.
NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement in Abuja, said the corporation’s GMD had directed its Management to work with other stakeholders to resolve the issue raised by the leadership of the Oil Industry unions.
The unions had recently called on the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the NNPC, the Department of State Services (DSS), to intercede in a brewing impasse between CNL and its staff in Nigeria over the company’s disclosure that the contracts with all its manpower services providers would expire by the end of October 2018.
The Industry unions last Wednesday put its members on red alert fearing the new manpower services contracts may not serve the interests its members.
While thanking the oil workers for their exemplary conduct and show of support through the years, the GMD appealed to the Unions not to do anything that would disrupt the industrial harmony that has pervaded the sector, saying the gains of recent past, if care is not taken, can be frittered away inadvertently.
Baru expressed optimism that the current dispute would soon be amicably settled.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has allayed the concerns of motorists and other consumers of petroleum products over possible hiccups in supply in parts of the country due to the oil workers’ ultimatum, assuring that NNPC holds adequate storage of petroleum products across the country to take care of the national demand.