Lagos Ports Shun Strike Relaxation, Remain Closed

Leaders at the Lagos ports on Saturday stood their grounds, saying that the ports should remain closed until the strike is called off.
Mr Oladimeji May, District Chairman, Maritime Workers' Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Apapa Port, said the union officials were at the gates to enforce the mandate of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).According to him, the mandate is that the strike is on but people can go to their various places, get cash and buy food.

He said that the next line of action would come up after the meeting between the NLC and government on Saturday.


"For now, no work at the ports," May said.


The gates of the ports, includung the Tin-Can Island, Roll On/Roll Off (RORO), Ports and Terminal Multi-Services (PTML) and Apapa ports, were all locked.


The union leaders told motorists trying to enter the Apapa port to go back.


29 ships waiting to berth were trapped in the ports before the commencement of strike.





Other trapped ships were discharging before the strike commenced, but work had been suspended on them for now.


A source in the transport unit of one of the berths in Apapa port, said that an Indian ship had partially off-loaded some of its consignments of rice before the strike commenced.


He said that for over one week, the ship and the remaining consignments were still there.


The shipping position of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) indicated that 81 ships were scheduled to arrive in Lagos ports this month out of which 29 ships might have arrived the Nigerian waters in the last six days.


In Apapa and Tin-Can Island, traffic was light on the roads, devoid of the usual long queues of trucks on Creek and Wharf Roads leading to the ports.


Most offices remained have also remained closed for business.


Mr Monday Igwe, a dockworker at the Tin-Can Island, said there was a directive from their leaders that they should not go into the ports to work, until the directive changed.


We are not saying the removal of subsidy is wrong but the timing is wrong, Igwe said adding, the last six days had not been easy.


He, however, said that they were on monthly salary which had been addressed by the dock workers' union.


Mr Olusegun Akinola, also a dockworker, urged government, civil society groups and labour unions to conclude their dialogue saying, "We are hungry."





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