The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has brokered a record deal for dockworkers as for the first time in the history of the maritime sector in Nigeria,  casual dockworkers would henceforth be paid terminal benefits.

 The first beneficiaries of the deal are the disengaged dockworkers at the ENL Terminal who would now be paid their terminal benefits in line with the contents of the current bargaining agreements contained in the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) document.

 Peterside brokered the deal  during  the dockworkers  protest at the Agency recently. To pacify the workers, he had promised the protesting dockworkers that the Agency will engage all interested parties in dialogue with a view to resolving contentious issues within seven days.

 A series of meeting followed  at the Agency involving representatives of the dockworkers, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), ENL and the Nigeria Police where it was finally resolved that all disengaged dockworkers should be paid the sum of N350,000 as earlier offered by ENL.

 Confirming the deal, Hajia Lami Tumaka, NIMASA's Head, Public Relations, stated that the  Director-General further  assured all stakeholders that as the Agency responsible for the regulation of maritime labour in Nigeria, NIMASA will always ensure fair and just treatment of Seafarers and Dockworkers in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Agenda and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006).

 Peterside  also  charged employers of maritime labour and the workers to continue to be law abiding and always engage in dialogue as an alternative dispute resolution link.