The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is partnering with Asset & Resource Management Company Limited (ARM) Group, on the introduction of Trust Fund Scheme for dockworkers.
Speaking during the unveiling of the scheme at MWUN Secretariat in Apapa last week, the President General of MWUN; Comrade Adewale Adeyanju explained that the scheme is going to help maritime industry as a whole.
He however reiterated that the meeting is to let other people know that the scheme has started and to also guide others.
Adeyanju added that he also wanted to use the opportunity of the meeting to enlighten the people that will coordinate the scheme on behalf of dockworkers.
Explaining further, he added that there is need for dockworkers to know where their monies are going.
"We need proper enlightenment on the people that are going to manage this scheme on behalf of dockworkers. You must know where your money is going and how to manage the money"
"Like I said before I retire to my village, I must do something, that is why I brought this idea; the dockworkers trust scheme. That will help everyone of us including me, because I am going to be part of the scheme"
According to him, the union had had something of such in the past that accrued to up to N100milloon but nobody can account for the money now.
He warned the coordinators of this scheme to desist from using the platform to enrich themselves adding that they will always involve the anti craft agencies to checkmate any accesses.
"We have had in the past, but we don't know where the money went to, that was during the time of our past leaders. We had a trust fund and the money accrued up to N100million but we don't know where the money went to"
"I believe this one is not going to be like that before you can run away with our money remember there is EFCC and ICPC that will be monitoring our money. And as your bringing the money someone is monitoring it"
Adeyanju said that they want to start with district and unit executives first before they go to ordinarily workers.
"We have commenced, what we did today is to let other people know that we have started and let them be guided. We want to start with the excos first before we now get to the workers, so the district and the unit excos because it is individual contribution so they will start before we now bring in the general workers"
The MWUN boss said that the scheme is going to involve everyone, adding that if the scheme has been in place before now, the issue of paying some. money for gratuity won't arise.
"Because it is a scheme that involves all the stakeholders it is going to involve all the maritime sectors that is the four arms of maritime union of Nigeria because they have to contribute their own quota to support what they have done in the past and what they are still doing"
"Because if we have it in the past, the issue of giving someone N200, 000 or N400, 000 will not arise apart from their gratuity. And sure you know that before dockworkers don't have gratuity and they are not pensionable but now they have gratuity and they are pensionable"
According to him, "This scheme is outside their gratuity it is to support them when they are about leaving"
He added that with time they are going to involve the employers in the scheme.
"So I believe that with this it is the best thing that I think all the dockworkers should embrace. The employers must be involved but on how they will get involved is between us and the employers"
"This is a scheme that belongs to average dockworker when your employers will get involved time will tell. Very soon the idea of bringing the employers will come later this time around it is about the dockworkers themselves"
Adeyanju expressed plans of extending the scheme to other ports outside Lagos adding that the project does not belong to dockworkers alone.
"This is not a project that belongs to dockworkers along but as the time progress we will involve other maritime workers. And it is not going to be for Lagos ports alone, if we do it well here in Lagos and we see the progress of it we will extend it to other places"
Stressing further, he said, "I was 100% involved when it was introduced to the staff of APMT about 4 four years ago and they have been managing it since then, without any issue. We need to fashion out how to go about it the dockworkers should embrace it"
Speaking on their partner ARM, he said, "The ARM are a responsible organization that we will partner with interns of this project. It is going to be a laudable project and I am going to put dockworkers at the front while other branches will follow" he concluded.
In his remark, an official of ARM, OluKayode lauded the Adeyanju-led MWUN administration for bringing out such a laudable initiative.
Explained further, he said unlike bank, the money you invest has a daily profit on it.
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