MARITIME Workers of Nigeria (MWUN), yesterday threatened to shut down the nation’s maritime sector within the next seven days unless the Federal Government ordered the management of BUA Terminal 7 to move out the “ship factory” from the Port Harcourt ports and ensure that only registered dockworkers were engaged in its operations in their terminal or warehouses in Lagos and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The leadership of MWUN, accused the management of BUA Terminal in Port Harcourt ports of, among others, bringing an immoveable vessel into the port and turned it into a “ship factory” for rebagging cement in the port contrary to concessioning and rules guiding port operations.
Efforts to get the reaction of the management of the company from its Apapa, Lagos, offices were unsuccessful as officials were evasive.
At a press conference in Lagos, President-General of MWUN, Comrade Onikolease Irabor, alleged that beside this, the management of BUA brought in expatriates who had no work permit to take over jobs from Nigerians and that the few Nigerians engaged by the management were not registered by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), with total disregard to the law.
Irabor, who also alleged that the pollution from the ship factory enveloped all the ports and its environs including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA’s) Basket House, endangering the lives of port users and others.
He noted that all complaints including a letter by NPA to the company to move the ship factory because it is against the concessioning regulations as well as preventing other ships or vessels from using the berths were to no avail.
Irabor warned that after the expiration of the ultimatum which took effect from yesterday, if all the demands were not addressed, the entire maritime sector would be shut down totally by next Tuesday.
According to him: “The management of BUA Terminal, Port Harcourt, is opening a “ship factory” for rebagging cement in the port. The ship is anchored/berthed at berths 6 and 7 in the Port Harcourt Port. As per the concession law, ships are expected to berth, discharge their goods and sail away, thus yielding revenue to the country. But, the permanent occupation of these berths by the factory, the government is denied its maximum revenue from the use of the berths as other ships cannot berth there. Thus the federal Government is losing lot of revenue as a result of the wrong usage of berths.
Expatriates are employed to do the job that dockworkers can conveniently perform in the ship factory. Most of these white men/ expatriates do not have work permit. The over forty workers in the ship factory are not members of the maritime workers union of Nigeria.”
Their warehouse inside the port are also being manned by non dock workers against the NIMASA law which gave such right exclusively to registered dockworkers. These workers are denied trade union membership and subjected to slave labour.
The pollution emanating from the cement factor has enveloped the entire port including the NPA basket house people operating within the port are seriously exposed to lung cancer attack..The union is giving the management of BUA Terminal, 7 days ultimatum with effect from today to move out the ship factory from the port and ensure that only registered dockworkers are engaged in their operations in their terminal/ ware house.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the company’s management was difficult as its official were very evasive. When Vanguard visit to the Bua group sugar and flour mills factories at the Tin-can Island, the Administration Manager, who identified herself as Mrs. Aidumi, in response to the allegations said she cannot comment.
Aidumi however told Vanguard on the issue of welfare that there is no way the management would not know about any complain by the staff, as they (staff) are expected to have informed the management before taking outside.
According to her, “If I have a problem with my father, I am expected to let him know before taking the matter outside, is it not so?” she asked. She then directed our reporter to their 22 Creek road office.
There the receptionist told Vanguard that all the senior personnel of the cement department had gone to Port Harcourt and the only in Lagos was not at the office at the time of visit.
One General Manager who refused to disclosed his identity said only their corporate affairs department located in Victoria Island can comment on the issues. He however to give our reporter the phone number of the person in charge of the department.