-By Olufunke Afolami
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state bows to pressure as he releases 20 dockworkers that were arrested in Port Harcourt following violation of the state lockdown. The state government said through the governor that the dockworkers made light of its policy after it has given instruction of lockdown which should be obeyed.
Reacting to the governor’s action concerning the dockworkers, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) threatened a nationwide strike action if the arrested workers are not released.
However, MWUN has rescinded its planned nationwide strike since the dockworkers have been released in Port Harcourt.
The dockworkers, who were on essential duty at BUA and PTOL terminals at Port Harcourt Port, were arrested on Saturday May 9, 2020 for allegedly violating the state government’s restriction order over the COVID-19 pandemic. The arrest was despite the Federal Government’s order mandating continuity in port operations across the country to sustain the flow of essential supplies.
Responding to the development at the union’s secretariat in Lagos, the President-General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said although the Rivers State Government is yet to drop the charges it filed against the dockworkers, the union decided to shelve the planned industrial action after intervention by the Nigerian Port Authority, Nigerian Shippers Council and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), among others.
He added that while the bus impounded by the Rivers State task force is still in government custody, the union had directed the dockworkers in Port Harcourt Port, who have already embarked on strike to resume work to avert economic loss and total collapse of the economy.
The MWUN boss explained that, “Respected stakeholders have been calling on us trying to intervene on the issue in the past four days, most especially the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello and even the NLC too are on top of the issue. The dockworkers have been released but we are still requesting that they drop all the charges against them because they are not criminals.”
He made it known that the dockworkers are responsible, legitimately employed by terminal operators and engaged by Stevedoring Contractors. They were also given essential duty pass signed and authorised by the NPA. It shows that they are legitimate workers and they have every right to work in the port.
In his Words, “We cannot drag ourselves with what is going on in the country. We are a responsible union. We don’t just do things without applying wisdom. If we shut down the whole port now, are we not adding injury to what is happening? For example, we have a fish vessel that has been at berth at PTOL and the vessel’s cooling system is showing signs of breakdown so we have asked the dockworkers to go back to work. As a responsible union, we believe in social dialogue.”
Adeyanju warned that the union will not hesitate to withdraw its members from the port going forward if any dockworker is harassed or arrested again by the Rivers State Task Force enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown while carrying out their legitimate duty as essential service providers.
Following the arrest of the dockworkers, the union in a statement issued a 48-hour ultimatum informing stakeholders that it had directed all its members to withdraw their services from the port with effect from May 13, 2020 over arrest of the dockworkers by the Rivers State Government.
It is not clear if the state government will drop charges filed on the dockworkers since it said it violated its restriction order owing to same treatment meted on violators leading to demolition of some hotels in the state. It also claimed that its Task Force were molested by the public in enforcing the state order.
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