SEAFARERS’ CERTIFICATION: MWUN Seeks FG Intervention To Upgrade MAN Oron Standards

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria MWUN has expressed worries over falling standards of certification for seafarers, even as it called on the federal government through the Ministry of Transportation to  upgrade the facilities of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron Akwa Ibom state  ,  to enable  cadets compete with their foreign counterparts.

 

President General, MWUN , Comrade Adewale Adeyanju stated that during the 5th Quadrennial Delegates Conference held in Lagos recently.

 

Adeyanju lamented that MAN Oron and other accredited training institutions  by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) can only compete with their foreign counterparts  on the field only when the infrastructure are available for training of  the seafarers’.

 

 

Speaking further, Adeyanju  decried the current seafarers certificate in Nigeria, saying it is far below international standards which according to him, puts the indigenous seafarers trained in the local maritime institutes at a disadvantage to compete internationally for employment.

 

“In view of the above, we call on the Federal government to, through the relevant ministries and agencies, cause an upgrade in the facilities of all maritime training institutes in the nation, especially Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron.

 

“We believe doing this will shore up international accreditation of such institutes and bring them up to par with international standards.”

 

Also speaking, President , Dockworkers Branch, MWUN, Comrade Tajudeen Ohize, shortly after his re-election ,

reiterated that the apex maritime regulatory agency to provide the much talked about  biometric identity card for authentic dockers.

 

Ohize said welfare of workers is paramount and the union will continue to engage employers in furtherance to better the lots of members.

 

Highlighting some of achievements in the last four years under his watch, the branch President said signing of Dockworkers Collective Bargaining Agreement and creation of more districts were made possible under his region.

 

According to him,the scientific approach in conflict resolutions with stakeholders has made the branch to attract more respect and accolades from maritime operators and employers.

By Roland Ekama