MWUN cautions against illegal toll collection, incursions into ports

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has cautioned organisations, parastatals and individuals to desist from unsanctioned incursions into the ports without the approval of the Federal Government regulatory agencies.

The maritime workers’ body also cautioned other faceless associations and unions to stop illegal toll collection and extortion from truck drivers as these acts of criminality will not help to build the nation’s economy at the ports.

The President General, MWUN, Dr. Adewale Adeyanju, gave the warning during a meeting with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Port Manager at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos on critical issues concerning the union and its members over the recent crisis within the port where members of the union officially operate as legitimate workers.

Adeyanju said MWUN will continue to partner with NPA and other relevant government agencies in all its policies toward making the nation’s seaports operationally friendly to all investors and maritime practitioners at all times toward the growth of the economy.

MWUN also denied involvement in illegal toll collection and extortion of truck drivers at the port.

“MWUN and its members, who are bonafide workers in the ports are very well organised, and as such, are in no way involved in the illegal toll collection and the chaos that ensued. Some faceless associations and unions are responsible for the upheaval and the unwanted crisis at the port, using illegal sales of tickets and extortion from truck drivers.

“MWUN has no business being on the roads since it is not its constitutional right to operate within the roads. The roads, as it were, belong to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) otherwise known as Lagos State Park and Management as well as Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN),” he stated.

Adeyanju said members of MWUN are constitutionally guided to operate within the ports and its axis, not outside, which is legitimately binding on the union to always collaborate with the management of NPA in all its activities at the port.

He said with this, the MWUN will never engage in any illegality or collaborate with any association(s) or group of persons to embark on operation inimical to the development of the ports and its operations or to the detriment of the nation’s economy at any point in time.

Adeyanju also reiterated that MWUN would no longer tolerate targeted attacks on dockworkers by hoodlums, who parade themselves as association or union members within the ports to cause mayhem.

Adeyanju, while citing the recent incident where four MWUN members were brutally attacked and murdered by faceless associations and unions, warned that the body will match force with force if by any means any dockworker is attacked again in the ports.

“The port is the sole property of the Federal Government and is being regulated by the same FG agencies. Therefore, any entity with an interest to pursue at the port can only come in through the appropriate channel if need be, but not through coercion or under any guise of revenue drive without the approval of NPA. Such illegitimate actions, if not curtailed now, will continue to brew a crisis within the ports since the port is within the operational purview of the NPA and its regulators,” he said.