NJIC: 70 percent of companies not complying as NIMASA fails to live up to expectations, union alleges.
NJIC: 70 percent of companies not complying as NIMASA fails to live up to expectations, union alleges.
Segun Oladipupo
The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officer and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) has raised the alarm that over seventy percent of the shipping companies have failed to comply with the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) recently signed with seafarers.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliate also fumed over failure of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to live up to its expectation by enforcing the trade agreement.
Speaking with journalists, National President of NMNOWTSSA, Comrade Bob Joseph Yousou expressed displeasure over the unserious handling of the matter by the regulatory agency.
According to Yousou who doubles as Africa’s Seafarers Chairman, ITF, the agency is politiicizing the matter which he said is impacting negatively on seafarers.
His words, “The problem I am having is the ineffectiveness of the government to effect their policies. You cannot just come up with a policy without effectively implementing or monitoring it. This is affecting us.
“Now, we have NJIC which is supposed to be implemented by all actors but we have written to NIMASA as the regulator and when you get to them, they will not be serious over the issue
“You said you were the regulatory body and almost seventy percent of the companies are not complying and you are aware of this but there is no enforcement and when we write to you, no enforcement. They politicised everything, that is the challenge we have.
“If NIMASA wants to do it, they supposed to invite the two bodies and ask why they are not complying, gradually, things will get better.
“They are not doing anything, so many seafarers are in darkness , we can’t do anything. We write to NIMASA to intervene but they are not doing anything,” he maintained.
On the international convention for fishing sector (Convention 188), the union leader said that the union had been on the issue seeking its ratification in Nigeria for improved welfare package of the workers in the sector.
He regretted that the agency failed to prioritise its domestication despite efforts, financial commitment of the union.
“The convention 118 for the fishing sector is another issue, we have been battling it now for two years for them to ratify it.
“If it is ratified, it is the working conditions of fishing sector just like the MLC. It encapsulates gender equality and so on.
“If it is ratified in Nigeria, we can work according to the convention.”
