The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) yesterday declared that, no registered dockworker is involved in container broaching in any Nigerian seaport.
In a statement signed by the union’s President General; Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, the union acknowledged that it is getting reports of stealing and container broaching, even as it added that such reports have been frequent on social media.
“Recently, the social media was awash with reports of stealing and broaching of cargoes in our Sea Ports by some miscreants”
“The National Secretariat of our Union is now being inundated with the same report of alleged pilfering, stealing and broaching of cargoes in our Sea Ports by some scoundrels erroneously believed to be Dockworkers’, the union said.
Comrade Adeyanju attributed the mix-up in the identity of the cargo thieves to the absence of Biometric Identity Card for dockworkers. The union consequently called for the issuance of the card.
“This erroneous misconception stemmed from the fact that Bio-metric Identity card (BID) which should have differentiated and distinguished the core Dockworkers from the miscreants that daily troop into the ports have not been issued in spite of repeated demands by our Union”, the MWUN stressed.
It however affirmed that, “pilfering, stealing and broaching of cargoes are criminal acts which no disciplined and responsible organisation should condole”, even as it added that, “the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, being a disciplined and responsible Union has zero tolerance for any form of criminality as its Constitution loathes same”.
“The Dockworkers of today are refined individuals who would not risk their robust terminal benefits by engaging in broaching of cargoes. They know the sanctions that await any authentic Dockworker caught in any criminal act”, the union stated.
In the statement, the MWUN called on security agencies and terminal operators to rise to the occasion.
“We (the Union) in all ramification are against this evil act and as such call on the Security Agencies operating in the Ports especially the Nigerian Ports Police as well as the Terminal Operators security Personnel, to put in place tight Security measures to tackle this menace which is capable of damaging the image of Nigeria”.
“We also advice that whoever is caught in this criminal act should not be spared but be visited with the full weight of the law no matter how highly placed”, the statement concluded.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that, prior to yesterday’s statement, the President General of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju had given a 14-day ultimatum to all district and unit officers of the union to flush out its dockworkers who may be involved in pilfering of cargoes in the ports.
Adeyanju gave the ultimatum in October, while briefing the district and unit executives about sundry issues in the union.
He expressed dissatisfaction with how the name of the union is dragged in the mud with recent reports of pilfering by dockworkers.
As a result of this, the union’s President General had charged the executives of the Dockworkers at the branch, districts and units to flush out any unregistered dock worker from the port.
While speaking, he stated that illegal dockworkers who have infiltrate the port were carrying out the act in connivance with some bad elements in the union.
Apparently unhappy about the development, Adeyanju said: "Enough of spoiling the name of dock workers and if they are spoiling our names, let all of us stand up and make sure that we flush them out.
"That is the directive I am giving to the President of dock workers branch and I am giving you 14 days’ ultimatum to make sure that all the district and units flush out port rats among them”, he directed.
He stated further that any officer found culpable of harbouring any illegal dock worker in the terminal would be expelled from the port, even as he quipped that the executives could not absolve themselves from connivance with those he referred to as ‘camp boys’ who carry out the pilfering.
"What is happening in the port now, if all of you are reading papers, or on social media, should not drag dock workers into problems”
"I am directing the dock workers President to make sure that all the district and unit executives should stand and do their jobs as at when due.
