Cargos trapped as dockworkers shut Apapa port terminal

Goods worth billions of naira were trapped at the nation’s busiest and largest terminal, APM Terminals Apapa, on Wednesday, as members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), shut the terminal over the alleged refusal of management to yield to their demands.

The union had issued a strike notice and had extended it by three-day elapsing on Tuesday as they sought resolution of unpaid salaries, welfare issues and anti-labour activities.

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Daily Trust observed that the dockworkers took over control of the exit and entry points of the terminal as early as 7am, before the arrival of the key staff while shutting out a Deputy Comptroller of Customs (DC) in the terminals.

The Task Force Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Apapa chapter, Frank Aliakor said: “There is a palpable fear it may result in the withdrawal of service, though we heard it was a warning strike due to unpaid salaries of the workers by the terminals. They have chased out all APMT workers out of office”

President of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju confirmed the action saying, “The agitation is connected to the refusal of the APM Terminals, Apapa management to review the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of the workers, which ought to be reviewed every year.

“It is an internal agreement between the workers and the terminal operator, but the terminal operator has refused to review the condition of service of the workers this year and that is why everywhere inside APM Terminals is currently under lock and key,” he explained.

The notice letter dated July 18th, 2022 was signed by the Deputy Secretary General of MWUN, Comrade Oniha Erazua, stating that the warning strike will run for three days.

The Public Relations Officer of the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Usman Abubakar, however, said no customs officer was denied access to the terminal. Abubakar over the telephone said: “Officers are on ground doing their job. No officer was barred from entry.”