The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, has urged wharf truck owners to rely on dialogue and constructive engagement when resolving disputes with government, employers and other stakeholders.
Dingyadi gave the charge in Lagos on Wednesday through the Director of Trade Union and Industrial Relations in the ministry, Amos Falonipe, during the inauguration of the national officers of the Amalgamated Union of Wharf Truck Owners of Nigeria.
The minister described the registration of the union as an important milestone but stressed that formal recognition also came with responsibilities to members, government and other stakeholders within the maritime and transport sectors.
He urged the union’s leadership to see itself as a partner in progress rather than an organisation established for confrontation.
Dingyadi said disputes should be resolved through engagement and dialogue, stressing the importance of maintaining peaceful relationships with stakeholders.
The minister also charged the union to operate within the framework of Nigerian labour laws and familiarise its leadership with the Trade Unions Act and the union’s constitution. He further called for stronger membership structures, proper record keeping and transparency in the management of union finances.
He directed the union to ensure that its accounts were properly maintained and audited annually, while expenditures must comply with its constitution and relevant laws.
Dingyadi also urged the newly inaugurated executives to conduct elections according to the union’s constitution and established procedures.
Speaking at the event, the National President of the union, Comrade Adeyemi Bamidele, said the union’s registration on July 27, 2026, marked the formal recognition of wharf truck owners as a legitimate collective body.
Bamidele described the members as important participants in Nigeria’s maritime, transport and logistics chain, noting that efficient cargo evacuation was necessary for reducing congestion and avoiding economic losses.
He called for greater consultation between government and legitimate representatives of wharf truck owners on policies affecting the industry.
The union president pledged that the organisation would promote professionalism, discipline and better working conditions while maintaining peaceful relations with government agencies, port authorities, terminal operators and other stakeholders.
He also said the union would oppose injustice, touting and extortion, but stressed that defending members’ interests would not be used as justification for lawlessness.
