The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria has been warned by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria that its members will stop working at ports and jetties if the issue of nine-month salary arrears is not resolved.

The union has cautioned that failure to promptly address this issue could result in an industrial crisis in the maritime sector, as reported by The Punch.

In a statement issued on Thursday by Oniha Erazua, the Deputy Secretary-General of MWUN, the union emphasized the growing tensions and the pressing need for a resolution to prevent disruptions in operations.

Erazua stated that the union has made numerous attempts to resolve the matter amicably through ultimatums and mediatory meetings, with the most recent meeting held in Abuja on September 18, 2024.

He alleged that the acting Registrar and the management of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria have consistently disregarded the union's efforts to address these concerns and have failed to prioritize staff welfare.

One key resolution emphasized that staff salaries should be prioritized over other expenses.

The union expressed disappointment at the ongoing disregard for this agreement, accusing the CRFFN management of organizing a selective training program while neglecting the backlog of unpaid salaries.

Erazua warned that if the outstanding salary arrears are not immediately settled, the union will be compelled to withdraw the services of its members.

The action would impact operations at the Nigerian Ports Authority, dock labor, shipping and freight forwarding agencies, and seamen across all ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms nationwide.

The union urged relevant authorities to take note of the situation, emphasizing that it can no longer tolerate what it views as impunity by the CRFFN.

A source familiar with the CRFFN confirmed the union's claims regarding the ongoing issues.

The source stated, "What the union said is true, you know the government removed CRFFN from the budget in January, and the council has been struggling since then. Imagine what it means for someone to be working since January and have no salary. They managed to pay January’s salary around May and since then, they have not paid anything. Even the January salary didn’t round, some people were paid while others are yet to collect. The staff members have been quite understanding; other staff members from other agencies won’t take what CRFFN is taking. They will promise you that they will pay today, and they won’t pay again."

Efforts to contact the acting Registrar of CRFFN, Mrs. Cicilia Uromta, for a comment were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or messages at the time this report was filed.