For an industry often caught between government regulations, port authorities and the daily pressure of moving cargo, the newly registered union of wharf truck owner’s has been urged to make dialogue its first response whenever disputes arise.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, gave the charge on Wednesday in Lagos, warning the newly inaugurated leadership of the Amalgamated Union of Wharf Truck Owners of Nigeria against turning disagreements with government or other stakeholders into confrontation.

Dingyadi, represented by the ministry’s Director of Trade Union and Industrial Relations, Amos Falonipe, spoke at the inauguration of the union’s national officers.

He described the registration of the union as a significant achievement and a new beginning for wharf truck owners, but said the recognition also came with responsibilities to members, government, employers and other stakeholders.

The minister urged the union to position itself as a partner in resolving problems affecting the sector rather than an organisation established to fight the government or other institutions.

“We are not registered to fight anybody. We are not registered to fight our stakeholders. We are registered to work together as partners in progress.

When there are issues, we should sit together and resolve them. We don’t want us to be fighting,” he said.

Dingyadi said the union’s legal registration had given it a legitimate platform to represent the interests of its members and participate in discussions affecting the industry.

He therefore charged its leaders to operate strictly within the framework of Nigerian labour laws and the union’s constitution.

The minister reminded the newly inaugurated officers that freedom of association was guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution, urging them to familiarise themselves with the Trade Unions Act and other relevant regulations.

Beyond representation, Dingyadi said the union must also demonstrate accountability in its internal affairs.

He urged the leadership to expand its membership, maintain proper records and ensure transparency in the management of its finances.

The minister directed the executives to keep accurate accounts and have them audited annually, stressing that expenditures must conform to the union’s constitution and relevant laws.

He also charged the leadership to conduct elections in accordance with the union’s constitution and established procedures.

For the new union, its registration represents an opportunity to give wharf truck owners a stronger and more organised voice in an industry that plays a critical role in Nigeria’s maritime economy.

Speaking at the ceremony, the National President of the union, Comrade Adeyemi Bamidele, said its registration on July 27, 2026, marked the formal recognition of wharf truck owners as a legitimate collective body within Nigeria’s industrial and economic system.

Bamidele described truck owners as critical players in the maritime, transport and logistics chain, noting that the efficient evacuation of cargo from the ports was essential to reducing congestion and limiting economic losses.

He called for greater consultation between the government and legitimate representatives of wharf truck owners before policies affecting the sector were introduced or implemented.

“We seek partnership. We seek consultation. We seek fairness. We seek an efficient and transparent operating environment,” he said.

Bamidele pledged that the union would promote professionalism, discipline and improved working conditions among its members while maintaining peaceful relations with government agencies, port authorities, terminal operators and other stakeholders.

He said the union would also resist injustice, touting and extortion, but made it clear that the defence of members’ interests would not be used as a justification for breaking the law.

“Our commitment to defending the interests of our members shall never be an excuse for lawlessness,” he said.

The newly inaugurated officers are Yekeen Olawale Rilwan, Deputy President; Alli Mohamed, Vice President; Prince Adeniji Olisola, General Secretary; Gbadebo Michael, Assistant General Secretary; Alhaji Awolola Saheed, Treasurer; Lawal Shina, Financial Secretary; Okelola Omogbolahan John, Publicity Secretary/Public Relations Officer; Olowokere Muyudeen, Welfare Officer; and Adeshina Saheed, Organising Secretary.