MWUN, freight forwarders disagree over attacks on maritime workers
Port Harcourt --Members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, have lamented what they described as continuous attacks on them by members of Freight Forwarders Transport Association at Onne port.
Chairman of Marine Workers Union of Nigeria, Eastern Port, Mr Ugwu Adolphus, alleged that members of the Freight Forwarders Transport Association vandalised their office at Onne port and carted away their properties worth millions of naira.
Adolphus called on the management of the Nigerian Port Authority to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.
"Those people have been arrying out a lot of attack on maritime workers. They have injured a lot of people, destroyed our bus, hilux and even our secretariat inside the park where NPA gave us for an office.
"They have been carrying on series of unprovoked attack on us, unfortunately upon all these attacks, none of their leaders have been questioned or arrested by the NPA who is the landlord of Onne Port."
The maritime workers also asked the Managing Director of NPA to implement the judgement of the Industrial Court, which according to him, ruled that MWUN should be allowed to carryout their duties without any form of harassment.
Adolphus added: "I am calling on the Port management to obey the court order given by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
"The judgement said MWUN has the right to operate within the port and to unionize drivers. So we are now calling on the Managing Director of NPA to intervene and direct the Port Manager of Onne port to obey the court order and do the needful.
"Again, to refrain from giving backup to the freight forwarders transport association."
Meanwhile, the Freight Forwarders Transport Association has denied the allegations by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
President of Freight Forwarders Transport Association, Mr Uchenna Ogbu, said his members were not attacking any maritime workers at the Onne port.