Labour sends team to enforce strike as Union shuts Apapa, Tin-Can, other ports

Officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) were seen on Tuesday moving around to enforce a strike declared by organised labour.

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Monday joined other affiliate unions of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to enforce a nationwide strike at the seaports.

Facilities at Lagos ports Apapa and Tin-Can as well as Port Harcourt and Onne ports are reported to be all under lock and key in compliance with the strike action.

Trucks were seen stranded on the port access roads as they were not allowed into the port.

Clearing agents and some port officials were also seen milling around the port gate but could not gain entrance.

At the Local Authority School Kuje children who reported early to school were sent back by the enforcement team.

It was also gathered that, apart from government establishments, owners of private businesses were seen operating their shops while private schools were opened.

checks revealed that many were not aware of the declaration by labour to go on strike as of Tuesday, the first day of the strike.

One of the staff of the Ministry of Education who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said he wasn’t aware of the declaration by Labour to proceed on strike.

Some of the filling stations had shut down, while only the NNPC filling station at Lugbe, along the Nnamdi Azikwe airport road, Abuja, was attending to customers.

The situation led to long queues as many motorists struggled to buy fuel.

While addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, Festus Osifo, the National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) said the strike would remain until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”

Meanwhile, Simon Lalong, the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, has convened a meeting with leaders of the organised labour as the union begins a nationwide strike today, Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

The meeting between the FG and leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress is expected held today.

A source, who disclosed the development to The Punch simply said, “The minister has convened a meeting with the Labour leaders for Tuesday.”

The Federal government had called on the labour unions to shelve their planned strike and refrain from actions capable of undermining the subsisting court orders.

A press statement made available to journalists by the Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kamarudeen Ogundele, stated that any strike by the labour unions will be tantamount to contempt of court.

The statement noted that the unions have been served with the court order and must surrender themselves to the authority of the court.