The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, has urged the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to embrace dialogue and halt the proposed strike at all ports in the country. Adeniyi made this appeal during his team’s visit to the union’s headquarters in Lagos on Thursday.
Adeniyi was represented by Customs Area Controller, Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu.
He acknowledged the contributions of the maritime workers in the ports, noting that the workers contribute more than 50 per cent of the Service’s total revenue generation.
He stated that he had already engaged port operators on the challenges facing maritime workers, aiming to provide sustainable solutions, recognising the strategic role they play in revenue generation.
“Interestingly, the NCS surpassed its revenue target of N6.1 trillion for the Federal Government in 2024, thanks to the seamless operations of all the maritime workers and port users.
“We cannot achieve much without your input. This is why we decided to intervene and resolve all the issues to avoid demurrage and make Nigeria a preferred destination for cargo clearance across Africa,” he said.
He pleaded with the union to reconsider and suspend their proposed strike.
The MWUN National President, Dr Adewale Adeyanju, commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing a grassroots person to head the NCS and pledged the union’s continuous support to enable Customs to achieve the 2025 revenue target of ₦12 trillion.
“I want to assure the Comptroller-General of Customs that the union is no longer going on strike. We want to establish a ‘marriage of convenience’ with all port operators.
“We will follow due process as we want the government to address our challenges holistically.
“We are not saying that the government should not introduce a task force, but the government should have created awareness to enable truck owners to vacate the parking spaces they occupied,” Adeyanju said.
He lamented the poor salaries of maritime workers, adding that the government should investigate and rescue the workers from what he termed “slavery.”
Adeyanju called for a “marriage of convenience” between the union and port users, adding that the union would continue to collaborate for the progress of the nation.
He said that the task force arrived around 3:00 a.m., damaged some trucks belonging to veteran union members, and demanded a fine of ₦500,000 before releasing the trucks.
Adeyanju called on the government to call the task force to order to prevent a strike at the ports.
“We are not troublesome people; we need to solve the problems together. We also appreciate Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi for coming to our headquarters.
“This is the first time in history that a Customs officer has approached the Maritime Workers Union’s secretariat, which means a lot to the union, and we will forever be grateful for this gesture,” Adeyanju said.
Also speaking, the President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, commended the role of Customs in port development.
“Before now, we used to clash with Customs over cargo interception outside the ports, but through training, we have come to understand that the interceptions are often caused by clearing agents due to under-declaration of consignments.
“Most of our trucks are rickety because the money for repairs is spent on settling various issues,” Ogungbemi said.
The Deputy National President-General of MWUN, Comrade Toney Harry, in his closing remarks, commended the effort of the Customs Area Controller, Apapa, for taking the bold step.
He said that the visit would boost revenue generation and reduce the time it takes to do business at the port.
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) had proposed to embark on a strike on Feb. 20, 2025.
The unions had issued a three-day ultimatum to the Lagos State government, demanding the immediate disbandment of two state committees and the unconditional release of all impounded trucks.
The unions have accused the Lagos State Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Special Traffic Management Committee in Apapa of engaging in arbitrary truck seizures, extortion and violence.
(NAN)
