Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) have on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to to further cement the relationship between the duo for support and welfare of truck drivers in the maritime environment.
The implementation of the collaboration which kicks off from Lagos ports before it will be extended to the Eastern ports, is also to support the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in its operations in the port.
In a release read by the National President of NARTO, both organisations said the collaboration was borne out of mutual desire to ensure seamless environment to do business in the maritime sub-sector of the nation’s economy.
They added that the decision to collaborate was birthed as a vehicle to take decisions on behalf of its combined membership to stem the negative gridlock which according to them, invariably affects ways of doing business in the quay apron, terminals and jetties
The release said, “We wish to further inform the general public that as a “Collaboration” we do our business according to the dictates of the law and in conformity to extant regulations which prescribes our business modus operandi.
“Unfortunately, we have it on good authority that some unknown individuals in an apparent selfish move have disregarded these prescribed process and proceeded to erect illegal collection/operation points along port access roads, this extortion, harassments, intimidations mar the very peaceful process which we seek to put in place at the instance of enrichment of private pockets which revenue ordinarily ought to go into government coffers.”
While speaking, the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju warned members of the union against working at variance with the tenets of the collaboration.
He threatened that the union would sanction any erring member.
He assured that the union would ensure the progress and success of the collaboration saying the MoU is binding on all members of the dockworkers branch.
Earlier, President of NARTO, Alhaji Othman lauded the MoU reached with MWUN adding that success will be achieved in the merger .
Othman said in line with port operations, the merger will bring about free flow of vehicular movement in and out of the ports calling on the parties involved to embrace sincerity and transparency for the benefit of the industry and Nigeria.
He said:” We wish to draw the attention of the general public to the decision for MWUN and NARTO to synergize and collaborate on a basis of common desire to ensure seamless environment to do business in the maritime sub sector of the nation’s economy.
“The collaboration was birthed as a vehicle to take decisions on behalf of its combined membership to stem the negative gridlock which invariably affects our way and means of doing business in the quay aprons , terminals and jetties as well as ingratiate in the psyche of our members the necessity to observe all the road regulations on our port access roads for ease of movement and the amelioration of unnecessary hold up,” Othman added.
