By Ewrhujakpor Godfrey Bivbere
Harboursandport.com: Lagos - September 12, 2024: Chairman of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, STOAN, Princess Vicky Hastrup, has challenged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA to use the 0.5 per cent multi million dollars stevedoring levy remitted by terminal operators for the training of dockworkers.
The STOAN chairman disclosed that the levy is meant for training of dockworkers but expressed disappointment that NIMASA has not utilised the funds for this purpose, despite the significant resources available.
She called on the agency to fulfil its responsibility and invest in the training of dockworkers.
Hastrup who is the Executive Vice-chairman of ENL consortium, spoke at the 2024 Dockworkers Day celebration organised by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria, SCAN and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, title, “Dockworkers: Key To Unlocking Nigeria’s Blue Economy,” in Lagos, on Thursday.
She said that the Federal Government’s port concession program has been a “transformative game-changer for dockworkers”, as it has led to improved working conditions and safety standards, enhanced productivity and efficiency, increased job security and better remuneration.
“These positive impacts have significantly improved the livelihoods of dockworkers, enabling them to better support their families and communities."
STOAN, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, and NIMASA have worked together to better dockworkers’ welfare through the regular signing of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), which have ensured fair treatment, payment of living wages, and retirement benefits to dockworkers in the country.
“Every two years, STOAN and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, under the supervision of NIMASA, negotiate new Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) under the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC). These trail-blazing agreements are life-changing, as they have significantly enhanced dockworkers’ welfare, ensuring fair treatment, living wages, and retirement benefits. Unlike the pre-concession era, dockworkers now enjoy formal conditions of service as the average dockworker’s take-home pay has increased substantially. The CBA has also fostered industrial harmony at the ports,” she said.
Similarly, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, have expressed displeasure over the continuous delay in the renewal of the licenses of the terminal operators at the nation’s seaports.
The President-General of the Union, Com. Adewale Adeyanju, said the uncertainty surrounding the delay in terminal licence renewal is currently impacting negatively on port operations.
According to Adeyanju, the workers are determined to see the renewal of the licenses which have been long overdue.
He appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that the agreements are signed as soon as possible.
“We want to see the renewal of the licenses of terminal operators. There are a lot of dividends that we are getting from giving us responsible terminal operators. Why are you delaying the signing of their agreements?
“The workers are now warming up, because they are worried about what is happening to their employees,” he said.
Chief Adebayo Sarumi, a former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) charged NIMASA to set up a training school for dockworkers.
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