MWUN President-General Bunu Pays Courtesy Visit To Lekki FreePort Management, Calls For Stronger Union-Management Relations

MWUN President-General Bunu Pays Courtesy Visit To Lekki FreePort Management, Calls For Stronger Union-Management Relations

R–L. CEO Lekki FreePort Mr.Christopher Cassang, President GeneralMWUN,Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, President Dockworkers branch LFT comrade Tajudeen Ohize,and the HR

By Frank Odinukaeze

The President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, led a delegation of union leaders on Wednesday ,on a courtesy visit to the management of Lekki Freeport. The visit aimed to foster stronger cooperation between the union and port authorities while addressing pressing concerns raised by workers.

In his speech, Comrade Abi emphasized the importance of open communication and mutual respect between workers and management. He likened the relationship to that of a husband and wife or a father and son, stating that such a bond must be grounded in trust, transparency, and dialogue.

“We didn’t just come here to say hello,” he said. “We came to introduce ourselves and speak frankly about issues affecting our members. We received distress calls from some workers about concerns that require urgent attention.”

The union leader expressed disappointment that the in-house union at Lekki Freeport was not being fully recognized or engaged by management, which he said had weakened the confidence of workers in their representation. He called on the management to restore respect for internal procedures and communication channels, ensuring that matters are addressed first at the unit level before escalating to higher authorities.

“No worker should bypass the in-house structure to call the MD or CEO directly,” he said. “We need to follow procedure to maintain order and discipline.”

Comrade Abi also highlighted the need for a harmonious working relationship, urging both union leaders and management to respect roles and boundaries while maintaining a united front in tackling operational challenges. He stressed that mutual cooperation is essential to the continued growth of Lekki Freeport, which he praised as one of the most important ports in West Africa.

“We want to work with you. We want progress. But we also want to ensure that workers are heard, respected, and carried along,” he stated.
The MWUN President-General concluded his remarks by calling for an immediate roundtable meeting between union representatives and management to address specific concerns and chart a new path forward.

The visit also included the submission of a formal letter from the union, detailing structural updates and listing new branch representatives for the port.
Lekki Freeport management was commended for its open-door policy, with hopes expressed that the relationship between the union and the leadership will grow stronger in the coming months.
“This is about building a world-class workforce for a world-class port,” Comrade Abi affirmed. “We stand ready to support that goal.”
In his response, Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Freeport LFT, Christophe Cassang affirmed that the organisation had been fair to the workers since he assumed office as CEO of the terminal.
He however promised to improve on the welfare of the workers.

He added that what would bring solutions to issues at the terminal, is what the organisation stands for.
His words,” We have been operating in the spirit of fairness and transparency since came here for maybe one year and a half. We will continue like that because this is the only way:
Fairness and transparency.
Problems have to be solved at the right level. This is clear. It’s what we have to do.”

In his remarks ,President of the dock workers branch of MWUN, Comrade Tajudeen Ohize explained that the whole essence of the PG’s submission is that he wants grassroots oriented governance ,that would carry the workers along, adding that there would always be complaints ,but if everybody is carried along, it makes the job easy for the leaders.
“We want to strengthen our relationship because there is procedures that every port operates on. Involve them in your meetings,” he submitted.
High point of the visit was a tour of the Lekki Port state -of -the art facilities,and presentation of sourvenirs to the MWUNÑ president General and other Executives told the Union
On the visit were top management members of the union, including the acting Secretary General of the Union,Comrade Oniha Erazua.