The President, Dockworkers branch of Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Tajudeen Ibrahim Ohize has disclosed that the union is set to embark on massive campaign to educate dock workers against helping government officials to take samples during cargo examinations in the terminals
Comrade Ohize who disclosed this during a chat said that the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju has put a template on ground that would guide how the publicity will be carried out.
He said that the branch have been sensitizing workers in respect of all these but knowing who PG is, ”he will never accept nonsense when it comes to illegalities”
He hinted that from henceforth, sensitization through town hall meeting, sharing of flyers and others will be carried out to educate dockworkers and to inform them not to be used by any agency and not to take anything that does not belong to them. Their job is to load and discharge, not to help in carrying samples.
According to him “I believe that the PG will put many machineries in place for the workers to know what to do about it
“Most of these things are not committed by dockworkers. They don’t always mention dockworkers in anything good, it is only in negative things that they mention the names of dockworkers.”
When asked about what the union is doing concerning the unfavourable condition of workers at the ENL terminal where dock workers have no befitting changing room, Ohize said plans were in top gear to address the situation.
In respect of that, we are working on it, you know I was one time chairman of ENL, and I believe the PG too has spoken with the madam and they are putting things in place.
“I believe it will be done very soon and I will be there myself to supervise it when it commences.
“The PG has spoken with the woman and she is ready to comply this time around,” he submitted.
Speaking on the cooperative society recently set up by the union, he hinted that members have started benefitting from the dividend as members are already building houses as a result of the funds from the society.
He maintained that some of the workers who ordinarily might not have had a house can now afford houses due to funds borrowed from the cooperatives.
“I can tell you that more than one thousand workers have collected money and the cooperative is still on, I collected myself. Many workers now have power to build houses
“If you go to ENL, TICT, they are collecting and paying back. It is very effective. The cooperative is monitored by Lagos State Ministry of Commerce. It is very effective now and it is voluntary, it is not by force and many people have come into it now. Ohize said.
