By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, under the close watch of Dayo Mobereola in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, under the Leadership of Abubakar Datsoho, appears to have sustained the Dockworkers Day event, with its maiden edition started in 2023. the 2025, third edition of the Dockworkers Day in Nigeria was said to have focused on Seafarers safety. The duo was said to have been joined in the sensitization campaign of the seafarer’s safety on ships by Akutah Pius, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC and other industry stakeholders.
This year’s sensitization campaign on Dockworkers contributions in Nigerian maritime industry, held under the theme ‘’Safe Port, Safe Ship’’ in Nigeria, one of the countries in the 186 member nations of the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, a maritime agency of the United Nations, UN, which had Arsenio Dominguez, as the Secretary General, had given room to the maritime agencies to express the importance of ‘’the safe working conditions and enhanced welfare of Nigerian Dockworkers to the fore’’.
The trio of Mobereola, Datsoho and Pius, were said to have taken advantage of the Dockworkers’ Day to further highlighting the Federal Government initiatives to improve Dockworkers safety. Adegboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state and minister of marine and blue economy, in his keynote address at the Dockworkers Day event, in Lagos, Nigerian’s commercial nerve centre, was said to have saluted the incredible work of the nation’s Dockworkers, noting that ‘’their contribution is at the very core of Nigeria’s maritime development’’.
Mobereola, the NIMASA, Chief Executive Officer, who was said to have represented the minister Oyetola, at the third edition of the Dockworkers Day event in Lagos, was said to have told those that had showed up at the event that it reminds us that the nation’s Dockworkers are vital ‘’to creating a maritime industry where safety is assured and productivity increases’’.
Describing them as’’ the first link in the international trade chain that fuels the country’s economy and turns the potentials of the blue economy into real national growth’’, he stated that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has initiated capacity -building programmes, including provision of modern protective equipment for Dockworkers and riverine transport operators across the country as part of its commitments.
The NIMASA, CEO, had alluded ‘’to the agency’s enhancing safety training, improving emergency response capabilities and enhancing professional development schemes’’ which appears to have become a model that had had copied in other maritime nations in the west and central African sub-region including the East African sub-region.
Comrade Francis Bunu, President-General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, may have taken advantage of the opportunity provided by the Dockworker Day event to praise minister Oyetola and he maritime agencies under the ministry of marine and blue economy, particular, NIMASA, for their commitment to Dockworkers welfare. The MWUN President -General, had described as a mark of honour ‘’to join the third edition of Dockworkers Day in 2025
He had thanked NIMASA Authorities and the licensed Stevedore operators, including the Terminal operators at the nations seaports other maritime stakeholders for hosting tis years Dockworkers Day and recognizing the vital role which Dockworkers play in sustaining the nation’s maritime industry.
He may have gladdened the heart of minister of Oyetola, when he declared: We, as maritime Dockworkers of Nigeria, sincerely appreciate his leadership of the nation’s maritime industry and taking it to another which ha been recognized in maritime circles both within and outside the country.
He was said to have also thanked Muhammadu Dinyadi, minister of Laour and Employment ‘’for his steadfast commitment to the welfare and protection of Nigerian Dockworkers’’. The minister, who was said to have been represent at the Dockworker Day event by one Emmanuel Igbinosun, Director of Productivity, Measurement and Labour Standards in the ministry was said to have urged all stakeholders at the event ‘’to remain committed to the ideals of safe work environment and appropriate remuneration for Dockworkers in line with the International Labouur Organisation, ILO, Standards.
In their separate goodwill messages delivered at the event by the NPA helms and the NSC, Executive Secretary, including the Nigerian Association of Stevedoring Operators, NASO, and Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, STOAN, they were said to have all commended the Dockworkers for their contributions to Nigerian maritime industry and pledged their commitment ‘’to ensuring enhanced welfare and safer working environment’’.
It would be recalled that at the Dockworkers’ Day maiden edition hosted by STOAN, in 2023, Vicky Haastrup, the President had confirmed that before the Concession of the terminals at the nation’s seaports, ‘’Nigerian Dockworkers were poorly paid’’ noting that’’ they did not have good conditions of service and did not have identifiable employers’’.
She had disclosed that the seafarers’ safety in the course of performing their duties was not taken into consideration by their employers as they were exploited, dehumanized and underpaid’’, but all that has changed with the efforts put in by past and present Management of NIMASA in partnership with other maritime agencies in the ministry of marine and blue economy between 2006 and now.
Just as Dockworker Day Maiden edition, was funded by STOAN, alone, Osagie Edward, a Deputy Director and NIMASA, spokesperson, may have industry stakeholders when he stated that the 2025, Dockworkers Day event, which was third edition, was organized by NIMASA, in collaboration with NPA, NSC, and with the support of the of minister Oyetola and the other officials of the Federal ministry of marine and blue economy.
The ministry officials may have thrown their weight on this third edition of the 2025, Dockworkers Day event in recognition of ‘’the important, often hazardous job of Dockworkers as well as raise awareness about the seafarers working conditions’’.
The message was very clear that the Dockworkers are professionals and essential workers, vital and crucial for port operations and must be recognized by the terminal operators and stevedoring companies.
