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For struggle, Solidarity and Socialism in Nigeria |
Committee for a Workers' International
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Socialist DemocracyMay 2006
PORTS PRIVATISATION: THE BATTLE GOES BEYOND SEVERANCE PACKAGEAbout 12,000 dockworkers will face mass sack due to the ongoing port reforms. This is not the only casualty in the maritime industry as over 5,000 of the 10,800 work force of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) are also to be sent packing ahead of the ongoing 'reforms' of port operations, as private terminal operators fully take charge of the management of the terminal at Apapa port by April, 2006. Some of the dockworkers had worked for over 15 years only to be paid a paltry sum of N41, 000 as entitlement. The protest and demonstration of about 2,000 Dock workers that was held recently is commendable. But dockworkers should not see their struggle as different from other workers in the maritime and by extension, workers struggle in all other industries. They should equally see their struggle beyond the severance package, even though they have to continue the struggle for a far better package than the N41000 being offered to them by the Federal Government. Labour leaders, civil society groups and pro-people political parties should intervene on this matter by coming out with programme of action geared towards stopping the federal government from massive sack of workers, not just in maritime but also in every other industry. This struggle should commence with work stoppage, protests and other legitimate means aimed at fighting back at the neo-liberal policies of this present regime whose focus is to privatise, commercialise, deregulate, etc., in the overall interest of the billionaires and not for the poor millions of workers. Until the defeat of this regime (AD, PDP, ANPP) and its neo-liberal policies and programme, the working condition of the masses will go from bad to worse as more massive sack and super exploitation awaits workers in both public and private enterprises.
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