No fewer than 500 dockworkers in the two ports in Rivers State would be severed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), next Wednesday.
Those to be severed by NPA include tally clerks and onboard security men at the Rivers Ports Complex, Dockyard Canteen.
This was made known to The Tide by the Trustee, Dockworkers Branch, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Port Harcourt branch, Comrade Harry Waite.
He said that only the disengaged dockworkers would be severed by the Authority.
The 500 dockworkers, according to him, were disengaged from Onne and Rivers ports, months ago.
He explained that the NPA had severed dockworkers in Lagos Ports, last December, and is now the turn of those in the two ports in Rivers State.
Waite said that the severed dockworkers were excited to be paid, adding that they had gone through pains and sufferings over the years as many could not afford to pay bills including rents and children’s school fees.
He said over 18 dockworkers had died in the state as a result of hardships and poverty.
Comrade Waite explained that the exercise is nationwide, saying after Port Harcourt ports, the NPA team would move to Delta and Calabar ports for same payments.
The Tide reports that dockworkers are casuals in the maritime industry who are hired and fired when there is no cargos to offload.
“Dockworkers have no payment when there is no ship to offload its consignment; so they are class of casuals in the industry that do not receive monthly salaries”, Waite explained further.

Chinedu Wosu