Workers Threaten Nigerian Port Shutdown Over Revenue Deduction

Nigerian port workers have issued a stark ultimatum, threatening to halt operations across the country’s port sector if President Bola Tinubu does not overturn a new policy mandating a 50% deduction from the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) revenue.

In a joint statement on Monday, the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) delivered the ultimatum, revealing that they had already communicated their concerns to the President.

The unions warned of a complete withdrawal of workers and a nationwide shutdown of ports if the decision is not reversed. They are advocating for a 30% deduction from NPA’s revenue, opposing the current 50% deduction.

The statement from the unions affirmed, “Automatic deduction of 50% of its internally generated revenue shall leave the Authority financially incapacitated to discharge these responsibilities to the host community, which may lead them to resort to unhealthy activities.”

The workers recommended a 30% automatic deduction while retaining 70% of the revenue for the Authority to meet its financial obligations. They emphasized that failure to address their concerns would leave the unions with no choice but to withdraw their services from all port formations nationwide.

This issue follows a government directive issued in January, requiring Federal Government Agencies/Parastatals and enterprises to remit 50% of their gross Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the Federation Account.

The looming threat of a port shutdown underscores the escalating tensions over revenue deduction within Nigeria’s crucial maritime industry.