As the countdown to the delegates’ conference of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria begins, out-going president of the union, Comrade Onikolease Irabor has declared that he has not anointed anyone as his successor and that the position which he will be vacating on March 27, 2009 has not been zoned to any of the union’s four branches.
In a no holds barred interview with Shipping Position Weekly, Comrade Irabor explained that it would be unfair to the contestants if he took sides or favoured any of them.
Even though, he had been alleged to be engaged in subterranean endorsement of a particular contestant for the post of the union’s president general, Irabor who emerged as the union’s leader in 2001 and who is in the last two weeks of his second term denied any link with any of the candidates.
He however explained that the contestants are well known having served as executives in the outgoing executives and having been known by the branches.
“As PG I should be open to everybody, they are all my executive members and my happiness is that nobody is coming from outside to contest, it is within, and we know ourselves very well. If I go and say this is the person that can be able to do it, my members may say no, we don’t need him, so that is the position, It is not for me to choose anyone for any position, I won’t do it and I am not expected to do it. The president general’s position is not zoned to any branch, you performance is what will determine your fate, it is not because NPA had produced the PG before, then you say no it must go her or there, it is not a rotational position, it is open to everybody as far as you get to the delegates conference”, he stated.
Comrade Irabor also disclosed that the mass loss of jobs on account of government’s port reform programme is one of the most painful events of his eight –year tenure and that even though the union kicked against it, government had its ways, but the union was able to secure a good package for both NPA workers and dockworkers.
“Today you can talk about the minimum standard which is the condition of service for the dockworkers which has never been there before. That was why they were paid N200, 000 as at that time of port concession, because there was no condition of service. But as at today, if any dockworker is to be retired we will be talking about millions of Naira”, he disclosed.
(See full interview on pages 6 and 7)
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