DOCK WORKERS PROTESTED TO VANGUARD TO CONTINUE THEIR TEN YEARS UNPAID BENEFIT BY ENL CONSORTIUM

On the very day of Wednesday 20 July, 2016 in Ajegunle members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) participated actively in the Dock workers protest to Vanguard to drop their PETITION LETTER that was a continuation of the 18 July, 2016 (Monday) to Nigerian Port Authority for them (NPA) to have knowledge of what the workers were passing through under the private owners of ENL CONSORTIUM; who were benefiting hugely
from the privatization policy of the Federal government that are responsible through their pro-capitalist policies on the series of attack unleashed on workers for years by the owners of ENL.

 In the very hour of 07:00am before the protest kick off, sizable numbers of dock workers had assembled themselves at the DSM secretariat to discuss about the protest to Vanguard newspaper. The leadership of the ENL/DOCK WORKERS STRUGGLE called the attention of their members to briefly address them before collectively marching to the media house to demonstrate and drop their petition letter acknowledgement by the new Managing Director of Nigerian Port Authority (Mrs. Having Bala Usman).

The dock workers meeting started at about 09:00am with an attendance of more than one hundred of them present to discuss the plan of today. It was gear towards to review the 18 July, 2016 protest to NPA and also the protest plan to Vanguard today (20 July, 2016). The leaders of the dock workers briefly addresses the workers before kicking off, by laying the success of the Monday protest that ended with an achievable result after handing over the PETITION LETTER to the new Managing Director of NPA, bringing to her notice the inhuman action of ENL CONSORTIUM on workers for the past ten years they have worked without being paid their entitlement, and other accrued benefit that is their right as a worker.

Members of DSM who were present in the meeting intervened and clarified some issues that are related to taking the struggle to Court, which has always been a debate outside and inside the general meeting of the dock workers. From the interventions made by socialists present in the meeting that ran for nearly two and half hour was that, the legal struggle is a means but not an end to the struggle to earn victory.

From experience put forward by DSM members was to patiently convinced the worker more on the need why they shouldn't sit-back to setback the exponential potential of the struggle they workers had laid countless sacrifices politically to get to this stage of the struggle, that has become a larger quake at the feet of both the ENL CONSORTIUM and the bureaucrat of the union under the leadership of Adeoju, putting threat on them the dock workers.

After much of the intervention and clarifications made by socialists in the branch, the leaders of the ENL/DOCK WORKERS STRUGGLE instructed their members to collectively come together for them to peacefully start marching down to VANGUARD newspaper situated at Otto Wharf. And at exactly 12:30pm, when the meeting had rounded off, the banner bearing the name of ENL/DOCK WORKERS STRUGGLE was hoisted by the workers, while others held to their chest placards that have the following demands:

(I)           THE NEW M.D MUST HEAR OUR MATTER!

(II)         ENL MUST END ALL SHARP PRACTICES OF CASUALIZATION!

(III)       PAY US OUR TENS YEARS UNPAID ENTITLEMENT NOW!

(IV)        KICK ENL OUT OF THE PORT NOW!

(V)         DOCK WORKERS ARE NOT SLAVE. WE ARE HUMANS. etc

With the banner in front, placards hoisted to the heaven, and solidarity songs chanted to magnet attention in the neighborhood, the workers in group were in a sizable number of one hundred and fifty of them, protesting to Vanguard newspaper to drop their petition letter.

From the kick off place of the dock workers meeting held in the DSM secretariat. The workers marched together from one street to another as commercial bus, okada, Napep ply the road, they peacefully move with chanted solidarity songs sharply sung to the public hearing. And as they occupied the road while protesting in one of the busiest Federal road in Ajegunle (Achakpo), some of the residents, artisan, market people and even passer-by tried to enquire the relevance of the protest.

Those who approach some of the workers behind others marching with the banner in front took time to explain the inhuman act of the company (ENL CONSORTIUM); that have refused to pay them their entitlement after working for ten years. Those people who asked this question sympathized with the workers and encourage them to keep on with the fight on until the company pay them their money.

Socialists who participated actively by protesting alongside with the workers all the way from the DSM SECRETARIAT, approaches some of the passer-by with the current publication of Social Democracy (July/August, 2016) for them to buy. Two of the SD that was sold where during when comrades were engaging the passer-by in discussion on why the dock workers were protesting over their unpaid entitlement; and why they should sympathize with the dock workers in their struggle by visiting their Facebook page: The Agitating Dockworkers Forum, to read, like and share the real story of the struggle. And equally the DSM website: www.socialistnigeria.net on related issues on the diverse struggles of workers against the system of capitalism.

While in Otto Wharf at exactly 02:30pm, the leaders of the struggle addressed the workers that when they get to Vanguard newspaper, they should coordinate themselves peacefully in order to achieve what they are set out to do. When the dock workers were at the media house of Vanguard, a member of DSM briefly addresses the workers that they all were in the right part of victory.

And they should be united in this struggle against the assault by ENL on them. Also, the emphasis was sharply made that why the dock workers were here is to make the world know how privatization continue to enslaved the human race under neo-liberal policy being responsible for what workers daily experience in the Nigerian Port Authority.

 Immediately this was stated, Pastor Adams, a core leader of the ENL/DOCK WORKERS STURGGLE also talked to the workers on why they were here and why they want Vanguard Newspaper to help in publishing their PETITION LETTER. However, the petition was submitted and acknowledges by a journalist in the Labour department who wholeheartedly welcome it and interviewed few of the workers about the working experience in ENL CONSORTIUM and what led to the struggle.