Master Mariners Raise Concerns Over Government Hijack Of Seafarers Day Celebration

The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners NASS has expressed worries on how government has allegedly hijacked world seafarer days celebration in the country, which in turn has failed to yield the desired purposes.

The foremost mariners described Nigerian style of celebration as a jamboree ,calling on the Transportation Ministry and designated agencies under it to hand off and allow relevant players coordinate the events the way it ought to.

 

 

National President NAMM, Captain Tajudeen Alao in a chat with DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA , recently lamented that the glitz and glamour put together by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in collaboration with the Ministry has failed to address the numerous challenges faced by seafarers adding that the annual celebration is designed to iron out burning issues confronting the seafaring profession.

Though the 2020 edition may not give room for stakeholders to converge due to the COVID19 pandemic , Captain Alao reiterated that government agencies have little contribution during the world seafarers day noting that mariners and seafarers should be able to express themselves better on how to move the sub sector forward.

The President stressed that:” We appreciate the role of seafarers in international shipping and most especially during this COVID19 period where they are stranded on board ships because they cannot come ashore worldwide and is a big challenge to everyone.

“The working structures for their release onboard is relatively impossible for them to be released.

“Seafarers day is a day set aside for us to celebrate but the Minister of transportation has hijacked it, they convert it to a jamboree , whereby the seafarers themselves have no say during the celebration in Nigeria.

“World seafarers day should have been the responsibilities of the master mariners, Mission to Seafarers , marine engineers and the respective maritime unions but what you see in Nigeria is to go to Eko Hotel which is not the core aim of the event.

“The event is suppose to hold in places like stadium whereby stakeholders can air their grievances to employers but the situation we find ourselves did not allow seafarers to talk much about what they are facing onboard ships.

Asked about the way forward to correct the anomalies in order for the Nigerian seafarers to have a say during the celebration, Captain Alao maintained that the media should take a stand to ensure seamen participation and contribution in a bit to better their lots and not for government to do most of the talking because according to him, government do not know what the seafarers are faced with.

He said “When the power that be hijack the event which is set aside to address critical issues in the profession then it becomes a jamboree without any meaningful achievements at the end of any celebration.

The World Seafarers Day celebration comes up every 25th of June in commerotation to encourage the professional.

 

By Roland Ekama