The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to restore the engagement of tally clerks and on-board gangway security men across the nation’s ports and jetties, warning that their continued absence poses serious economic and security risks.

In a petition addressed to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, the union described the situation as a “fundamental and existential problem” within Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Signed by the Secretary-General of MWUN, Comrade Oniha Erazua, the letter highlighted the complete absence of tally clerks, gangway security personnel, and regulatory agency presence at ports, terminals, jetties, and oil and gas platforms nationwide.

According to the union, this gap has enabled terminal operators to sidestep maritime labour laws, particularly the Stevedoring Regulations 2014, by engaging unregistered dockworkers.

MWUN further warned that the lack of tally clerks has encouraged under-declaration of cargo, resulting in significant revenue losses for the country.

It also noted that the absence of on-board gangway security men has contributed to growing security lapses, including unchecked arms trafficking and handling of contraband goods.

The union stressed that the situation has left Nigeria’s port environments increasingly porous, revealing that no fewer than 243 operational jetties across the country currently function without effective supervision from key regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Describing the development as a breach of statutory maritime obligations, MWUN reiterated its demand for the immediate restoration of the affected categories of workers under a regulated pooling system.

Among its key demands, the union urged the minister to initiate executive action to reinstate tally clerks and gangway security personnel across all ports. It also called for the establishment of a central pool to be managed by NIMASA for their engagement and deployment.

Additionally, MWUN appealed for directives to be issued to both NIMASA and NPA to recruit and deploy personnel responsible for monitoring compliance with maritime operations and labour laws across ports, dry ports, bonded terminals, and jetties.

The union noted that similar appeals had been made in previous correspondences dating back to 2021 and 2023, alongside reports and memoranda submitted by stakeholders, but lamented that the issue remains unresolved.

MWUN expressed hope that the Minister would act swiftly to address what it described as a long-standing challenge with far-reaching implications for national security and revenue generation.