Ahead of the planned movement of cargoes from the Apapa port by rail to Abeokuta and Ibadan, workers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have called on the Federal Government to implement the 95 per cent salary enhancement agreement reached between the workers and the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT).
Recall that the NRC is set to commence the movement of cargoes from the Apapa port to Abeokuta and Ibadan as part of government efforts to decongest the ports in Lagos.
Speaking exclusively with the Nigerian Tribune in Lagos, Secretary General of the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NUR), Comrade Segun Esan explained that the workers have decided not to disrupt the operations of the NRC for now because of the appointment of a new Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Muazu Jaji Sambo.
According to Comrade Segun Esan, “We are aware that the NRC is fine-tuning arrangements for the movement of cargoes from the Apapa port in Lagos to Abeokuta and Ibadan. This is long overdue because the Corporation will make more money from freight haulage compared to what we make daily from passenger haulage. We welcome this development and look forward to its commencement.
“However, we are yet to see the implementation of an agreement between the workers and the Federal Government on increment in salaries and benefits. If you recall that we embarked on a three-day warning strike last year November to protest over the poor salaries railway workers are earning.
“The then Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi called us to call off the strike. We had a series of meetings with him and a 95 per cent enhancement in terms of salaries and benefits was reached. As I speak to you, that agreement has not been implemented. We are yet to hear from the Federal Ministry of Transportation as regards the implementation of that agreement.
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“The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi left without implementing that agreement. Now, they are planning to commence the movement of cargoes from Apapa to Ibadan by rail. Ordinarily, we would have shut down the operations of the NRC in protest after the time frame given for implementation elapsed, but we have decided to hold on following the change of leadership at the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
“Out of respect for the new Minister, we have decided to wait a little bit and let him settle down. The agreement for a 95 per cent enhancement for railway workers remains. There is no going back on that. If the Federal Government fails to implement this agreement, we might be left with no other choice than to disrupt the operations of the NRC.
“The movement of cargoes from the ports is going to be implemented through this same set of poorly paid workers. How can you entrust cargoes worth billions of Naira in the hands of a locomotive driver that earns starving wages? It is only in this part of the world that such happens.”
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