Three days strike drive has begun upon by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) over earnings owed dockworkers by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) have made Nigeria economy lose over N100 billion earnings.
MWUN had on June 13 announced a 14- day demand to the Federal Government to prevail on the International Oil Companies (IOCs), working in the country to pay Stevedoring Contractors designated by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) charges due to dockworkers at the nation’s ports.
At the edge of the expiration of the 14 days ultimatum, the maritime workers moved to close down seaports across the country heading to complete paralysis of port operations for three days before the strike was called off last week Friday.
Investigation revealed that the industrial action affected port operations at the quayside while allowing cargo clearance and movement of cargoes out of the seaports.
There were vessels queues on the quayside as workers who would have discharged cargoes were on strike thereby allowing the nation’s economy to bleed under high charges imposed by foreign shipping companies.
Further check also showed that about 14 vessels with various commodities were trapped in the two nation’s seaports at Apapa and Tin-Can Island during the industrial action. Some of the items in the ship, included perishable items, while others were delicate commodities that ought to exit the ports on time.
Similarly, scores of containers estimated at about 12,000 were trapped inside the various ports across the nation.
