By Bon Peters
PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Shipping Branch, has pledged continued cooperation with the management of West Africa Container Terminal (WACT)-APM Terminals Nigeria while calling for renewed attention to workers’ welfare and the conclusion of ongoing collective bargaining discussions.
The union made the position known during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria, Mr Courage Obadagbonyi, at the company’s facility in Onne, Rivers State, on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Leading the delegation, the National President of the MWUN Shipping Branch, Comrade Olufemi Oluyinka Abass, congratulated Obadagbonyi on his appointment, describing his emergence as the first Nigerian to occupy the position as an important development in the company’s leadership history.
Obadagbonyi assumed office on July 1, 2026, succeeding Jeethu Jose. His appointment was previously announced by WACT as part of its continued focus on leadership development and operational growth.
Abass said the union was particularly encouraged by the local content dimension of the appointment, expressing the expectation that it would further promote staff development and opportunities for Nigerian professionals.
He said the workforce remained central to the terminal’s operations and pledged the union’s support for initiatives capable of improving productivity, workplace relations and the overall performance of WACT.
“WACT is strong and will be stronger in your tenure, and we pledge our full cooperation to ensure that your tenure is a successful one,” Abass said.
The union leader attributed the terminal’s growth to the commitment of its workforce, saying employees had continued to contribute to the company’s operations despite the demands associated with maritime work.
He called for the existing relationship between the union and management to be strengthened through dialogue, consultation and mutual respect.
Abass, however, used the meeting to draw management’s attention to the economic pressures confronting workers, particularly the rising cost of living.
He appealed to the WACT management to consider intervention through a cost-of-living allowance and to expedite the conclusion and signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the parties.
He said addressing the concerns would help ease the financial pressure on workers and create conditions conducive to improved productivity.
The MWUN leader reiterated that the union was committed to maintaining industrial peace, stressing that disagreements between workers and management should be resolved through negotiation rather than confrontation.
WACT promises structured response
Responding, Obadagbonyi thanked the union delegation for the visit and said the management would examine the issues raised.
Rather than treating the requests as isolated interventions, he said the company would develop a framework for assessing the sustainability of workers’ demands and determining how they could be addressed within an appropriate institutional structure.
“I don’t believe in ad-hoc kind of a thing, but we should have a template and also appraise the sustainability of such demands so that even after my tenure it could also be sustained,” he said.
The WACT managing director also pledged to strengthen the relationship between the terminal and the MWUN Shipping Branch and said management would work towards addressing legitimate concerns raised by the workforce.
Obadagbonyi brings more than two decades of experience spanning finance, operations and general management. Before his appointment as WACT managing director, he served as Chief Financial Officer of the APM Terminals Nigeria cluster and had previously served in an acting capacity as Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa.
His appointment made him the first Nigerian to head WACT, a development that has been described by the company and industry reports as part of its emphasis on developing local leadership.
Also speaking, the Onne District Chairman of the MWUN Shipping Branch, Comrade Raymond Nwawueze, pledged the loyalty and cooperation of members of the branch to the management of their respective companies.
Nwawueze urged workers to continue observing the work ethics of their organisations and expressed confidence in the ongoing negotiations between the union and management.
He appealed to members to remain patient, saying he was optimistic that their legitimate expectations would be addressed through the negotiation process.
The visit ended with the presentation of an award to Obadagbonyi by the Deputy President-General of the MWUN, Comrade Funmilola Fasan.
Other union and WACT representatives at the meeting included Chinelo Obienyem, Senior People Business Partner, WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria; Nengi Tekena-Opuda, Employee Relations Specialist; MWUN Vice President-General, Comrade Boniface Udoh; Secretary-General, Comrade Onoro Kalu; District Vice Chairman, Comrade Gordons Braid; District Secretary-General, Comrade Precious Asito; NEC member, Comrade Godfrey Nkpornwi; Unit Chairman, Comrade Solomon Laaka; and Comrade Paul Otogboro, among others.
