By Milcah Tanimu

Following the intervention by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has decided to suspend its proposed strike, which aimed to shut down the country’s seaports due to the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Stevedoring Contractors’ non-compliance with existing Stevedoring laws.

The suspension of the strike comes after successful negotiations led by Mohammed Bello-Koko, the Managing Director of NPA, who mediated discussions between MWUN leadership and marginal field operators in the Oil and Gas industry. During the meeting, Bello-Koko emphasized the importance of maintaining industrial harmony and preventing disruptions to critical production platforms in the Oil and Gas sector controlled by maritime workers.

In a statement, President-general of MWUN, Adewale Adeyanju, instructed all union members across its four branches to resume their normal duties immediately. He revealed that a communique was signed, outlining deadlines for full compliance with Stevedoring Regulations by operators in the petroleum industry.

The resolutions include acknowledging substantial compliance by IOCs with labor deployment, a review of equipment deployment within the next three months, facilitation of meetings within a week between regulators and non-compliant operators, and resolving all issues related to compliance and access to work locations by the end of January 2024.

Adeyanju highlighted the importance of implementing the earlier communique from January 5, 2024, as a gesture of good faith. The MWUN’s decision to lift the potential shutdown of seaports is based on the resolutions reached during the meeting.

The gathering, attended by industry leaders such as the Executive Vice-President (Down Stream) for Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Adedapo Segun, and President of the National Association of Stevedoring Operators (NASO), Bolaji Sunmola, concluded with the signing of a communique addressing the workers’ grievances and the subsequent suspension of the planned strike action. Earlier, MWUN had issued an ultimatum threatening to shut down all Oil Production and allied platforms over various non-compliance issues, including stevedoring regulations and remittance of MWUN levy by Stevedores.