No doubt, the Nigerian dockworker is the greatest casualty of the reform of nation’s port system, their leaders knew this, hence the struggle to oppose it at that time. It is on record that one of the subtle reasons that led to the exit of the –then president general, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Uzoije Ukaumunna was his rigid stance on port concessioning.
No doubt, the Nigerian dockworker is the greatest casualty of the reform of nation’s port system, their leaders knew this, hence the struggle to oppose it at that time. It is on record that one of the subtle reasons that led to the exit of the –then president general, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Uzoije Ukaumunna was his rigid stance on port concessioning.
His successor; Comrade Onikolease Irabor and his counterpart in the Nigeria Ports Authourity (NPA); late Comrade Peter Abolarin and later, Comrade Umar Jmoh also did their best to ensure that government did not have its way in the determined quest to bring in the private sector.
All that is history now as the nation has experimented with port concession four close to five years with the overall verdict that- by and large, it is a success; at least, in terms of increased ship traffic, rising cargo throughput, safety of cargoes and persons and higher revenue to NPA and indeed prosperity for the terminal operators.
However, the burden of the exercise is being ‘carried’ by dockworkers and this has, more than twice (before the recent one) caused industrial unrests in the nation’s ports. At a time, they asked for total revocation of the concession deal. There were indeed fundamental issues, strong enough to actually make them demand for total cancellation of the concession deal.
Prior to the latest strike in which by thousands of embittered dockworkers in all (but one) of the nation’s seaports paralysed activities, there had been similar action in 2006, 2008 and ven pockets of unrests in 2009.
There had been in years past, pockets of subdued protests at many terminals in Lagos ports. Specifically, at different times there had been protests, and in some cases work stoppages at APM Terminals, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited and ENL Consortium terminals These are in addition to avoidable deaths occasioned by accidents, allegations of slave labour and so on.
Whereas in 2006, the dockworkers’ grievances could be grouped into four; namely- inhuman treatment, unionisation, payment of entitlements to about 1,400 of them, that is, those who, even though had been disengaged from the ports, they were yet to be paid-off.. The final part of the long list of request is that government should revert the port concessioning programme and sack the concessionaires!. Tough one, we dare say.
The action which coincided with the visit of two ministers whose portfolios are very relevant to their plight is also a confirmation of the fact that it was well orchestrated. The ministers of labour and productivity, Dr Hassan Lawal as well as that of water transportation, Prince John Okechukwu Emeka were both in Lagos for the commissioning of the seafarers’ identity document (SID) building in Lagos.
All these were treated in the usual manner in which issues concerning dockworkers have always been treated – with levity, offer of compensation and a plethora of unfulfilled promises.
So, when they again served notice of strike on account of unanswered requests for increased wages, their employers didn’t listen; at least they responded by saying that there was money for such.
The impacts of the action was felt throughout the country and were it not for the timely intervention of the managing director, Nigerian Ports Authourity, Engr Omar Suleiman, the strike would have degenerated to total paralysis.
At the moment, promises have been made and things appear to have returned to normal, but how long will it last?
The role that was played by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the whole saga is shocking; being the agency that is responsible for the welfare of dockworkers. The benefits of the 2007 merger of the then-NMA with the then JOMALIC that gave birth to today’s NIMASA can not be said to be felt by dockworkers. Otherwise, their grievances with the terminal operators would have been nipped in the bud before they degenerate into the recent strike.
The Nigerian dockworker remains (as he was before the concessioning ) at the lowest rung on the ladder, he is the one who does the heaviest and most demeaning part of the job, yet he is the least remunerated in the port system.
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