The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a stern warning to the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), threatening to withdraw its services from all ports, jetties, and oil platforms if the council fails to pay its employees their nine-month salary arrears. In a statement by Deputy Secretary-General Oniha Erazua, the union lamented that despite numerous efforts to resolve the issue through ultimatums and mediatory meetings, the CRFFN management has neglected its financial obligations to its workers. A recent meeting held in Abuja on September 18, 2024, failed to yield any resolution.
MWUN accused the CRFFN’s acting Registrar and management of failing to prioritize the welfare of staff, despite previous agreements that staff salaries should be addressed before other expenses. The union expressed frustration over the CRFFN’s decision to conduct selective training programs while ignoring the long-standing salary backlog, calling it a show of impunity. Erazua stressed that if the CRFFN does not immediately address the arrears, it will trigger a full withdrawal of services across critical sectors of the maritime industry, disrupting operations at the Nigerian Ports Authority, shipping agencies, and oil platforms.
A source close to the CRFFN confirmed the union’s claims, attributing the salary delays to the removal of the council from the national budget earlier this year, leaving it financially strained. While the CRFFN has been struggling to pay its staff, even the January salary was only partially paid. Despite multiple promises from management, no further payments have been made. Efforts to reach the acting Registrar of the CRFFN for comments were unsuccessful.