Maritime
MWUN Threatens Shipping Coys With Sanction Over Employment
Following the act of non adherence to the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) employment rules by shipping companies in Nigeria, the union has threatened to sanction the companies.
MWUN has also issued a 7-Day ultimatum to the companies starting from Friday 17th February to Friday, 24th February 2023, to comply with the minimum employment standard for its members or be ready for a face-off with the union.
MWUN stated that failure of the shipping companies to comply would lead to industrial action by its members and withdrawal of their services from all ports, jetties, terminals and oil and gas platforms nationwide.
President General, MWUN, Comrade Adeyanju Adewale, disclosed this to newsmen during an interview in Lagos
Adewale noted that members of the union are currently underpaid and overused, accusing all shipping companies in Nigeria and employers of labour in the sector of continuous and outright refusal to interface with the union to negotiate a minimum standard of employment for its employees.
He insisted that failure of the companies to conclude necessary negotiations of the condition of service will lead to total shut down of all facilities.
“We wish to note that the struggle to get employers of labour in the shipping sector to negotiate with MWUN has been ongoing since 2019, a clear four years and still counting.
“We have ran circles most times to get these employers of labour to come to a meeting, and where they do, they come up with reasons not to engage the union in Collective Bargaining negotiating for the improvement of the livelihood of our members in the shipping sector.
“These members are currently underpaid, overused and often subjected to frustrating working conditions, which include retirement, remuneration and gratuity regime that can only be described as a death sentence.
“The MWUN in evaluating the gory conditions under which our members in the shipping sector work, had to declare a state of emergency in the sector with the hope that this will ignite some meaningful change in the employment conditions of our members.
“Unfortunately, this has not been possible, due to the recalcitrant attitude and indifference of shipping companies to the sad plight of their employee’s.
“The last straw was the outcome of a joint meeting MWUN had with some representatives of the shipping companies under the aegis of the Shipping Association of Nigeria ((SAN) on the 15th of February 2023, wherein these representatives informed the union that their mandate is to request MWUN to negotiate employees’ working condition on individual company basis, i.e. plant by plant, which is in clear violation of our procedural agreement signed in 2014 with representatives of shipping companies which recommended a global standard for collective bargaining negotiation and agreements.
“This effectively brought negotiations to a stalemate. In the sustained refusal of Shipping Companies to negotiate with the union and their continuous subjection of our members to slavish work conditions, we can no longer sit back, fold our arms and watch our members denied their rights to decent income and improved working conditions.
“MWUN wishes to state that if at the expiration of this ultimatum, we do not get any response from the Shipping companies, the union will have no alternative other than to call upon our members in the shipping, dock, seamen and NPA sector to withdraw their services from all ports, jetties, terminals and oil and gas platforms nationwide without recourse to further noticed”, he said.
Also Speaking, MWUN’s National Treasurer, Comrade Uche Igwe Onu, while corroborating the position of the union, stated that “there is nothing new in our position with SAN.
“SAN has failed to create minimum standards for workers. Before now they claimed that FCCPCP had barred them from negotiating with the union.
“But we told them that they are simply buying time, because we asked them to confirm the core mandate of that agency which led to two weeks’ notice from the Union”, he said.
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Maritime
MWUN Demands Fixing Failed Tin-Can, Onne Ports’ Quay-Aprons
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has again raised concerns over the decay in ports Infrastructure across the littoral states of the nation, saying the dilapidated quay apron Tin Can Island Port Complex and Port Harcourt Port pose serious danger to dockworkers.
President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos during the recent Dockworkers Day Celebration.
Adeyanju, who is also the Deputy President, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), lamented that the two major seàports in Lagos are old, hence government and the concessionaires have failed to maintain or upgrade the infrastructure for optimal utilisation.
Apparently unhappy with the situation in furtherance to the protection of dockers, the President General stated that “Today’s event is expected to X-ray the challenges faced by the Dockworkers in their daily struggle and efforts toward Port efficiency and in the light of ever-improving technological driven economy.
“MWUN Warns NPA To Stop Vessels From Berthing At Five Star Logistics Terminal.
“Training and career is fundamental and provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is essential to protect them against various hazardous working conditions.
“It is instructive to note that the environment we operate has posed dangers to our lives. For instance, the quay aprons at Apapa port complex are dilapidated and Tin Can Island Port Complex has collapsed due to long use, while Port Harcourt port is aged and decrepit”.
Maritime
MOWCA Seeks Collaboration With Incoming IMO Scribe
Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has met with the newly elected Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr. Arsenio A. Dominguez Velasco, in London to continually foster cooperation between both bodies.
Their meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the recently held 33rd General Assembly of the IMO, explored already agreed areas of collaboration between both organisation with a view to continuing them when Velasco resumes in January 2024.
While congratulating Dominguez on his new appointment and reassuring him of MOWCA’s support in promoting environmentally safe and sustainable shipping in West and Central Africa , Adalikwu recalled that he achieved the signing of a Joint Action Plan (JAP) agreed by both bodies in 2022 under the outgoing Secretary General Mr. Kitack Lim.
Adalikwu gave Dominguez a brief on MOWCA, its scope of operations and achievements made under his watch in the past two years, while the incoming IMO SG promised to consolidate and sustain the relationship between both organisations.
The IMO and MOWCA had agreed on a Joint Action Plan (JAP) to promote maritime security, safe, efficient and environment friendly shipping.
The JAP was agreed upon at IMO headquarters in London with outgoing IMO Secretary General, Kitack Lim, MOWCA Secretary General, Dr Paul Adalikwu, and transportation ministers from West and Central African countries in attendance.
Both bodies agreed that the JAP be operational from 2022 to 2032 in the first phase and implemented to align towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African Maritime Transport Charter, African Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050, and African Charter on Maritime Security, Safety and Development.
Adalikwu described the JAP as a bold step towards ensuring improved safety of ships, crew members and cargoes on African waters, especially in the West and Central African regions.
He added that the move would engender more technical cooperation between IMO and MOWCA for strategic human capital development that will leverage on technology.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Maritime
NCS Enforces FG’s 22% Increase On Import Duty
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has begun enforcement on the 22.24 percent increase on import duty, by the Federal Government.
Federal Government had increased import duties by as much as 22.24 percent, a development that may worsen the inflationary trend that is already prevailing in the country.
The increase, which is the third this year from records, is expected to drive the cost of clearing a 40-foot container from N7.3 million to N8.9 million, and is warranted by the depreciation of the Naira, as the naira value of the imports rose astronomically, affecting the import duty component.
NCS in a release on Friday, explained that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the entire personnel were not aware of the development until it was communicated by the Ministry of Finance.
The statement further added that the NCS only carry out the directive of the Federal Government.
It, however, noted that the Service is not oblivious of what await importers, adding that the agency will maximise its service delivery and work on clearing cargoes as soon as paper works are completed.
”The NCS recognises the import of this exchange rate, particularly when it is done without prior notice on trade.
“We have addressed freight forwarders; we recognise what the Nigerian business community is going through but there is little we can do about fiscal and monetary policies. Our role is to implement them.
“But we align ourselves with government policies because every decision taken is for the collective interest of the nation and I expect that we all abide by it.
“What we said we should do as Customs, which we have told the freight forwarders and clearing agents, is that to mitigate the impact of what they are going to go through in the next few days, we will maximize our service delivery by ensuring that importers do not incur demurrage and associated costs”, the statement noted.
Although the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), in reacting to this development through its Vice President, Segun Oduntan, said there was nothing anybody can do about it, he appealed to the government to assist Nigerians in transportation by pegging the duty rate on buses and transport vehicles at zero duty.
He also noted that the development will result in higher inflation on goods and services in the country.
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