As Nigerian workers joined the rest of the world to mark the 2022 Workers’ Day celebration, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has lamented the spate of insecurity, kidnapping, hike in petroleum products, food prices as well as high rate of unemployment among other challenges bedeviling the country.
President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, in a message to mark this year’s Workers’ Day, however, called on maritime workers to remain steadfast, dedicated and focused on the task of service delivery irrespective of the challenges.
He expressed hope that the challenges faced by workers especially in the nation’s ports would soon be addressed by the government.
“I Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, President General MWUN, on behalf of the union celebrate with all our members in the Nigerian Ports Authority, dock labour industry, seafarers and shipping, clearing and forwarding partners in all the ports, jetties, terminals, oil and gas platforms on the occasion of 2022 workers day.
“I also celebrate with all Nigerian workers and pray for hope, fairness and justice as we continue to face challenges in our daily lives. Challenges of insecurity, kidnapping, petroleum products hike, increasing food prices, epileptic power bad roads and high rate of unemployment.
“The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria hopefully pray that our challenges as Nigerian workers especially in our nation’s ports, jetties, terminals and oil and gas platforms will be attended to.
“On this note we call on all our members to remain steadfast, dedicated and focused on the task of service delivery, in a harmonious and safe environment,” he said.
Adeyanju called on the federal government to take necessary steps to restore dockworkers and onboard gangway security men to enhance safety at the nation’s ports.
“We seize this opportunity to call on the federal government to take necessary steps to restore the dockworkers and seafarers pool system as well as bringing back our onboard gangway security men to enhance safety and standard in our port operations and nation’s ports,” he said.
The International Workers’ Day celebrated on May 1st, is a day set aside by the United Nations to create awareness on the sacrifices of workers and for the political elites to be reminded of what should be done to ensure that workers globally are adequately protected.
The theme of this year’s May Day celebration in Nigeria is “Labour, Politics, the Quest for Good Governance and Development”
