The President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Adewale Adeyanju has said well trained Union workers have been deployed both at the jetties, oil & gas platforms and the nation’s sea ports.
The MWUN Head of Media, Kennedy Ikemefuna, who made this known in a press release disclosed that Adeyanju made the statement recently, during a visit by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Port Police Command, Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba and his entourage to the Union secretariat.
Adeyanju was delighted during the visit. He described the CP as a crack and a versatile Police officer, who graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in June, 1994 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who had risen to the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja before his recent deployment to the Port Command, Apapa, Lagos.
The MWUN PG noted that the CP parades intimidating profile so far in his career in the force after serving in various capacities and having led contingents of officers to peace keeping missions to Sudan and Kosovo respectively, where he received the United Nation (UN) commendation award amongst others.
He also admitted that it was the very first time the Union will host the Port Police Command and it will go down in the annals of the Maritime Workers Union history.Adeyanju promised to work together with the command assuring the entourage that the era of thuggery and hooliganism had ended and the Union has been digitalized .
The PG also made it known to the CP that most times, the Union can issue threats of strikes if after having exhausting all necessary stipulated avenues with the government or stakeholders and positive responses aren’t forthcoming.He also noted to avoid the economic implications of shutting down the gateway of the nation’s economy,the Union is always tactical and diplomatic about strikes until interfaced with a meaning dialogue to resolving whatever industrial disputes that came up.
Adeyanju also assured the Command that he’s going to take the issue of effective policing to both Dr Dayo Mobereola, the Director -General of NIMASA and Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho.
According to Ikemefuna, the CP and his entourage’s visit to the Maritime Workers Union was majorly to fraternize and familiarize his command with one of the foremost Maritime Union in the country, which its leadership is worthy of commendation.
His entourage included the Deputy Commissioner of Police ( Operations) Ibrahim Abdu, O/c of the CP Monitoring team, CSP Ojo Ahmed, Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, CSP Ibimode Adeleye amongst others.
The CP confirmed that the MWUN and the Command have formed a community synergy with the visit which he said was one of the basic reasons for the visit.
Maikaba explained to the President -General of the Union, who doubles as the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Vice President Global, International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) that he should see the Police as brothers and not mere friends as the Police cannot work in isolation without the Union, who is a major stakeholder in the maritime industry.
The CP in his speech described Adeyanju as a brother and said that his office is fully open to the PG at all times.He said he was impressed with the kind of personalities in the executives of the Union.
The Port Police Chief said he was overwhelmed with the warm reception accorded him and his team at the Union’s secretariat, which he described as monumental and unprecedented.
