MWUN- The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, has threatened to ground port operations nationwide by withdrawing its members from work should the federal government continue with its policies that are adversely affecting the maritime industry.

MWUN's President General Mr Tony Nted, Spoke at the presentation of the Maritime Man of the Year 2014, explained that government policy on rice and fish import has greatly reduced cargo throughput at the ports to 60 percent.

Mr Tony, who got the award from the management of Maritime Media Limited, said that they have been complaining about the policy using the media and that they have written to the presidency on the issue, but that they have not gotten any positive response.

“The best thing to do is for the government to look into some of these policies. We as a union, what we are doing now is that we are crying out using the media and we have written a letter to the presidency. If nothing is done and we are pushed to the wall, the next thing we will do is to withdraw our service at the ports. “If you get to the port today, you will find out that the throughput has dropped drastically. Rice is no longer coming; fish is no longer coming because of these bad policies of the government.

“Some of the policies are not stable, they make the law today, and tomorrow they change the law. So, most of the investors are scared of coming into the country, they are running away.” He said on the increase in tariff on imported vehicles to 70 percent is not in the best interest of the common man. He noted that it is the common man that will ultimately bear the brunt of the policy.