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| President General, MWUN, Mr Tony Nted |
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria
(MWUN) on Thursday said that it would not accept any decision by the Nigerian
Ports Authority (NPA) to replace tally clerks with cargo surveyors at the
ports.
(MWUN) on Thursday said that it would not accept any decision by the Nigerian
Ports Authority (NPA) to replace tally clerks with cargo surveyors at the
ports.
President of the MWUN, Mr Tony Nted,
stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Nted said that while the tally clerks
checked to ensure appropriate declaration of cargo at the ports to prevent
avenues for revenue leakages, the cargo surveyor’s job was mainly to settle
discrepancies when they arose.
checked to ensure appropriate declaration of cargo at the ports to prevent
avenues for revenue leakages, the cargo surveyor’s job was mainly to settle
discrepancies when they arose.
He said it was, therefore, wrong for
anybody to think of removing tally clerks from the ports, adding that the
presence of the tally clerks prevented a lot of sharp practices at the ports.
anybody to think of removing tally clerks from the ports, adding that the
presence of the tally clerks prevented a lot of sharp practices at the ports.
“The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)
for whatever reason brought in what they call ‘cargo surveyors’.
for whatever reason brought in what they call ‘cargo surveyors’.
“As the name implies, cargo surveyor
is a person who goes to the vessel and if they have any discrepancy, they
measure the type of cargo they brought in.
is a person who goes to the vessel and if they have any discrepancy, they
measure the type of cargo they brought in.
“We do not know how NPA translates
cargo surveyor to be the person that will do physical tally on-board the
vessel.
cargo surveyor to be the person that will do physical tally on-board the
vessel.
“Why we say tally clerks should remain
is because of the sharp practices of the shipping companies and even the terminal
operators, ‘’ Nted said.
is because of the sharp practices of the shipping companies and even the terminal
operators, ‘’ Nted said.
Speaking on non-payment of dockworkers
salaries, including the tally clerks and the on-board security men, Nted
confirmed that some of the workers were yet to be paid.
salaries, including the tally clerks and the on-board security men, Nted
confirmed that some of the workers were yet to be paid.
He, however, said the union would not
accept that the terminal operators should be in charge of payment of the
dockworkers, to avoid compromise.
accept that the terminal operators should be in charge of payment of the
dockworkers, to avoid compromise.
“The tally clerks in the port are just
like the Police. If a policeman walks into a place, everybody will begin to
wonder why the policemen came there and they will be scared.
like the Police. If a policeman walks into a place, everybody will begin to
wonder why the policemen came there and they will be scared.
“Terminal operators and the shipping
companies are afraid because they know that tally clerks serve as watchdogs to
the Federal Government– to know what is going on.
companies are afraid because they know that tally clerks serve as watchdogs to
the Federal Government– to know what is going on.
“So, they are afraid. If tally clerks
work under the terminal operators, then the security of the port, the cargo
brought into the port and the revenue will dwindle,’’ he said.
work under the terminal operators, then the security of the port, the cargo
brought into the port and the revenue will dwindle,’’ he said.
Nted said the union held on to its
argument that the tally clerks and on board security must be paid as and when
due.
argument that the tally clerks and on board security must be paid as and when
due.
He said the NPA should come and tell
the whole world if it had any reason why it could not pay the dockworkers.
the whole world if it had any reason why it could not pay the dockworkers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports that the dockworkers had on several occasions threatened to embark on
strike, to demand for their salaries, the last of such demands was on Aug. 7.
reports that the dockworkers had on several occasions threatened to embark on
strike, to demand for their salaries, the last of such demands was on Aug. 7.
On those occasions, the workers
shelved their planned strike, based on the promise by the NPA to pay their
salaries soon.
shelved their planned strike, based on the promise by the NPA to pay their
salaries soon.
