Indiscriminate hire and fire: Merchant Navy tells NIMASA to call fishing trawlers to order
Indiscriminate hire and fire: Merchant Navy tells NIMASA to call fishing trawlers to order
Segun Oladipupo
The leadership of the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) has called on the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to call on players of labour in the shipping subsector to desist from indiscriminate termination of appointments of workers
The National President of the association, Comrade Bob Yousou made the call on Tuesday during his goodwill message at the World Seafarers Day celebration in Lagos.
Comrade Yousou urged NIMASA to call on players of labour mostly fishing trawlers to be mindful of the disregard to the rights of an employee
His words, “INDISCRIMINATE HIRE AND FIRE: some Shipping Companies mostly fishing trawlers terminate Sailors employment without due process. We urge NIMASA to call the employers of Labour in this category to be mindful of disregard to the rights of an employee.
Speaking further, Yousou who is also a chief Engineer, seek NIMASA to issue Marine Notice to all seafarers employers over nonpayment or underpayment of seafarers
Describing the situation as slavery attitude, he maintained that the employers should be cautious about the nonpayment of wages and underpayment to Nigerian seafarers saying it is the current trend in the sector
He therefore sought the apex Maritime regulator to place sanction on defaulting firms.
“NIMASA as the regulatory Agency should as a matter of urgency issue a Marine Notice to all Seafarers employers engaged in this slavery attitude to take caution about the nonpayment of wages and under payment to Nigerian Seafarers as this is the current trend in our Maritime sector. A sanction should be placed on any Company with such an act.”
He itemized the challenges of the members which include unemployment of most Nigerian qualified Seafarers.
He said that with the Cabotage regime in force unemployment of Nigerian Seafarers will be a thing of the past. Waiver should not be an option as it is inimical to Nigerian Seafarers.
“LACK OF CLASS II & I: The Nigeria Maritime Institution should be ungraded both in facilities and personnel to meet international standards for the issuance of Class II & I. that will enable Nigerian Seafarers to work aboard foreign and bigger vessels
“MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT: Ghana has mutual agreements with almost (30) thirty Maritime communities hence her COC’s is recognized by them and employers given to her Seafarers on this basis unlike Nigeria that has none. We urge NIMASA to open up relationships with other Maritime nations for COC’s recognition and employment of Nigerian Seafarers.
“NATIONAL CARRIERS: Nigeria is a Maritime nation and the hub of Maritime activities in the West Africa sub region. The pride of a Maritime nation is to have vessels of its own. By this, it can serve economic purpose by carrying or transporting our crude oil & Natural resources. This will reduce capital flight, generate income and provide sea-time training for numerous Nigerian Cadets roaming about the streets for such opportunities.
“TAX EXEMPTION: Seafarers spend most of their lifetime at sea with the roughest weather at sea. Note that tax is levied on the place of abode hence the need to exempt them like: – India and Philippines.
“NJIC IMPLEMENTATION: The NJIC has been launched on the 13th May, 2024. Our CBA is drawn from it. For the NJIC to make meaning the Agency should encourage all Employers of Maritime Labour to have individual CBA in their respective Companies for the sake of the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerian Seafarers as provided in appendix III of the NJIC.
“In view of the above I want to conclude by saying that the Director General of NIMASA is on the right track. I urge him to strengthen the Task Force on Cabotage implementation, Ship registry department and ensure scarcity of Discharge booklets are things of the past. Marine notice should be issued to all shipping Companies to have CBA in their individual companies with the respective Unions,” he submitted.
