Strike: Maritime workers shut down Lagos seaport

Members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have shutdown the Tin-can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos in compliance with the nationwide strike by the organized labour.

The strike is coming on the instructions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) after its national executive council meeting held on Monday, directing all affiliates of the Congress to strictly comply.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had taken the decision after their joint meeting in Abuja, prompted by alleged infractions and encroachments of the rights of workers, the assault on the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and the continued refusal of government to implement agreements, non-payment of backlog of salaries, pensions, descriminatory payment of salaries and non-compliance to national minimum wage.

Executive members of MWUN directed its members to shutdown the ports on Tuesday morning in compliance with the directive.

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It was learnt that freight forwarders who had arrived the port in readiness to commence clearance of their goods were asked to go back.

Some of the clearing agents, who spoke to our correspondent, said though the strike was in order, it was the masses that would suffer at the end of the day.

Seun Adigun, a learning agent at the Tin-Can Island port said the accumulated demurrage would be transferred onto members of the public at the end of the day.

He said no matter how long the seaport will remain close, government revenue still remains and would be collected.

“Terminal operators will collect demurrage from importers and the importers will inturn transfer same to the suffering masses,” he added.