Maritime

Dockworkers Get 2,000% Salary Increase After 17Yrs

Published

3 years ago

September 11, 2023

After 17 years of engaging Dockworkers in the Nation’s Port terminals, the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) says the Concessionaires at the nation’s seaports have increased the salaries and wages of Dockworkers by 2,000 per cent.
Chairman, STOAN, Princess Vicky Hasstrup, stated this during the maiden Dockworkers Day celebration organised by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) in Lagos.
At the event, with the theme, “Dockworkers: The Unsung Heroes of Nigerian Port Reforms”, the Chairman said the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ensures fair treatment of dockworkers, payment of living wages and institutionalisation of retirement benefits to them.
“You all are witnesses to the situation at the ports and the poor working condition of dockworkers before the 2006 port concession exercise. Before the concession, dockworkers were poorly paid.
“They did not have conditions of service. Indeed, they did not have identifiable employers. Their safety, in the course of performing their duties, was not taken to heart.
“They were exploited, dehumanised and underpaid. But all of that has changed, thanks to the bold move by the Federal Government to reform and concession the ports in 2006.
“As you all know, the port concession transferred cargo-handling operations from NPA to professional private terminal operators, who won lease agreements ranging from 15 to 25 years.
“NPA remained the landlord, technical regulator and provider of marine services.
“Seventeen years into the port concession exercise, there is a general consensus that the exercise has fully delivered on its promises.
“The landlord model of port concession adopted by the Federal Government has freed the government of the financial burden required to develop and operate the terminals.
“This burden has been transferred to the private terminal operators also known as concessionaires.
“In addition to not spending money to acquire cargo handling equipment and other associated terminal operating costs, the Federal Government now realises much more revenue from the ports.
“In addition to modernising the port, we have collectively worked together to give a new lease of life to our dockworkers.
“Every other year, members of the STOAN and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, under the supervision of NIMASA, sign new CBA midwifed by the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) to further enhance the welfare of dockworkers in the country. t
“In essence, unlike what obtained before port concession, our dockworkers now have conditions of service.
“Today, the average take-home pay of a dockworker has increased by more than 2,000 per cent over what it was in 2006. The CBA between the Union and Terminal Operators has also ensured industrial harmony at the port.
“We recognise the importance of our dockworkers. They are professionals and essential workers. They are vital and crucial to port operation. Indeed, without dockworkers, we cannot talk of effective port operation.
“The story of the success of port concession cannot be written without copious mention of the role of dockworkers”, Haastrup said, assuring the commitment of terminal operators to the welfare of dockworkers.
Also speaking, the President-General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, congratulated SCAN for putting together the eventful programme to celebrate dockworkers.
“I want to congratulate SCAN for putting together this eventful programme to celebrate our own: the veterans and our unsung heroes still on duty”, Adeyanju stated.
He said the era of hooliganism and thuggery in the union has since given way to a new mindset, which has worked in favour of dockworkers.
According to him, “Nigerian dockworkers are no longer backbenchers or troublemakers at the port, but have rather become essential port workers and critical

Maritime

MWUN REAFFIRMS NON-PARTISAN STANCE AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION

Published

2 weeks ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has reaffirmed strong positions towards maintaining non partisan stance ahead of the 2027 general elections .

The President General of MWUN, Comrade Francis Bunu disclosed this while welcoming executives from the Transporters for Tinubu 2027 Political Support Group at its headquarters on 119 Osho Drive, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos,

The union boss underscored MWUN role as a neutral player in national development.

According to a statement signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media for MWUN, the union’s President-General, hosted the visitors who outlined their initiative.

Comrade Bunu expressed gratitude for the recognition, affirming the union’s support for any efforts promoting progress, unity, and development in Nigeria.

He emphasized, however, that MWUN remains strictly non-partisan, committed solely to good governance and strategic initiatives that elevate the nation regardless of political affiliation.

This engagement highlights MWUN’s frontline position in labor and transport while reinforcing its impartial dedication to the country’s advancement.

The group aims to foster collaboration among government, transport operators, private entities, and grassroots stakeholders to boost national mobility, economic growth, and sectoral reforms.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

ASU BEKS APPEALS TO GOVT FOR TANTITA TO MANAGE NIMASA’S ABANDONED N50BN FLOATING DOCKYARD

Published

2 weeks ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Limited and Convener of the Maritime Industry Merit Awards (MIMA), Elder Asu Beks, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concession the abandoned floating dockyard owned by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), describing the asset as a “national embarrassment” after more than a decade of neglect.

Speaking during a live interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Asu Beks said the floating dock, valued at about N50 billion, was originally planned to be deployed at Okerenkoko in Delta State to support training activities at the Nigerian Maritime University.

According to him, the asset has remained largely unused since its acquisition in 2016, moving between different facilities including the Naval Dockyard Limited, Continental Shipyard Limited and most recently Snake Island in Lagos without being fully operational.

Beks said the prolonged inactivity of the dockyard represents a huge financial loss to the country, especially as government continues to incur costs in maintaining the facility.

“Why should Nigeria allow an asset worth about N50 billion to waste away for over 10 years?” he asked.

He urged the Federal Government to urgently concession the facility to a credible Nigerian private company capable of restoring it to full operational capacity.

Beks specifically suggested Tantita Security Services Limited as a possible operator, citing the company’s track record in oil pipeline and maritime security operations in the Niger Delta.

“With the operational network and technical capacity of companies like Tantita, this abandoned asset can be transformed into a profitable national facility,” he said.

The maritime stakeholder also criticised past leadership in the sector for failing to address the situation, particularly during the tenure of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who served for eight years.

According to Beks, the continued neglect of the floating dockyard raises serious questions about asset management in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

He also questioned why successive leadership of NIMASA including former Director-Generals Dakuku Peterside and Bashir Jamoh did not resolve the issue during their time in office.

Beks urged the current Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, to take decisive action and change the narrative by ensuring the asset becomes productive.

He argued that reviving the dockyard would provide significant economic value to the country, particularly by strengthening ship repair capacity and supporting maritime training.

Beks further noted that issues such as the operationalisation of the floating dockyard and economic regulation in the shipping sector remain far more critical to the industry than symbolic achievements.

He stressed that Nigeria must prioritise the effective utilisation of strategic maritime assets to drive economic growth and reduce dependence on foreigners

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

NPA LICENSE APPROVAL DELAYS IS WORRISOME—ANLCA SCRIBE

Published

2 weeks ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

Clearing agents operating at the nation’s ports have criticized the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) over it’s silence regarding unprocessed operational licenses.

The agents warned that the situation could disrupt cargo clearance activities across the ports if urgent action is not taken.

Speaking during a media briefing, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Emmanuel Onyeme called out spokesperson of the NPA, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, over alleged failure to respond to calls and messages from stakeholders.

Onyeme said dozens of freight agents who submitted applications for the NPA’s Clearing & Forwarding License operational clearance for PortPASS- an authority to do business with shipping companies have not received any response for more than two weeks

According to Onyeme, the approval from the NPA is a crucial requirement that allows freight agents to gain access to the ports and transact business with shipping companies and terminal operators after securing their licences from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

“Without the Clearing & Forwarding License issued by the NPA, freight agents can not access the ports or engage shipping companies and terminal operators for cargo releases . It is a critical operational requirement,” Onyeme said.

He disclosed that the approval process, which was previously handled at NPA offices within the seaports, has recently been centralised at the authority’s headquarters, forcing agents to submit their documents directly to the office of the Managing Director.

However, Onyeme noted that many of the applications have remained unattended to it.

“As we speak, several freight agents have submitted their documents to the Managing Director’s office, and these applications have been lying there for more than two weeks without any form of response,” he said.

He warned that the silence from the authority is already creating anxiety within the freight forwarding community, especially as many shipping companies and terminal operators have indicated that from April 1, 2026, previously issued NPA Licence approvals will no longer be recognised.

Onyeme further expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the NPA’s spokesman, alleging that repeated attempts by stakeholders to reach him have been unsuccessful.

“The situation is worrisome because there is absolutely no feedback. Calls and text messages sent to the NPA spokesperson have not been responded to, leaving Custom Brokers and freight forwarders agents in the dark over the fate of their applications,” he said.

According to him, the delay could prevent many licensed customs agents from accessing the ports or engaging shipping companies, thereby affecting cargo clearance and port-related businesses.

He therefore called on the management of the NPA to urgently intervene and ensure that the pending approvals are processed without further delay.

“Even if the Managing Director is out of the country or unavailable, there should be a system that allows someone else to handle such important operational matters promptly,” Onyeme added.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos