Seafarers Union To Brainstorm With Police Over Fake “Merchant Navy” Nomenclature

Sequel to the recent arrest of over 100 fake personnel ,the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force as part of efforts to clear the air on the nomenclature .

 

 

 

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliate organization also disclosed that moves are afoot to engage authorities of the force on how to eradicate the activities perpetrated by the pseudo Merchant Navy outfit.

 

According to a statement addressed to the Lagos State Commissioners of Police , a copy made available to DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA , dated November 11, 2011, the union would synergize and collaborate with the police authorities for the benefit of information sharing adding that the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association is a body of professional seamen worldwide.

 

The statement signed by Comrade John Okpono Aleakhue stressed the need for the police to understand activities of the seafaring union, in ensuring that the maritime sector is cleared from any form of any dubious and illegal groups with the nomenclature “Merchant Navy”.

 

The scribe further pointed out that leadership of the union seek to have a meeting with the police high command in a bid  to jointly eradicate the miscreants .

 

He said” Be that as it may ,our concern is the generalization of the name “Merchant Navy”.An ordinary man on the street find it very difficult to differentiate between the genuine/legal Merchant Navy who are professional seafarers and the dubious groups  who are out to extort the unemployed youth in the name of a bill before the National  Assembly .

 

 

” It might interest you to know that we and other stakeholders in the Maritime sector have kicked against this bill (3)three years ago in the National Assembly . So generalization of the name” Merchant Navy” poses danger and inimical to our existence as your men /Officers will be intimidating our members (Officers )who are merchant Navy professional (seafarers) doing and going around their legitimate works.

 

“However, we want to clearly state that we don’t know this group and we have no relationship with them .

 

“We completely disassociate ourselves from the illegal body and promise to support the government in ensuring that our maritime industry is clean and clear of any dubious and illegal group who are using the name “Merchant Navy” to extort our teaming Nigerians .

 

 

“For the avoidance of doubt , Merchant Navy Officers are professional seafarers worldwide and there are required certification one must possess before he or she can be called a Merchant Navy Officers, namely SCTW’95 Mandatory courses certificates, Discharge booklet, Seafarers Medical certificate as approved  by NIMASA, Seafarers Identification Documents (SID) etc.

 

“You can only become a Merchant Navy Officers (Seafarers) if you have acquired the necessary maritime academicals qualifications as required by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

 

“It is very worrisome how these groups of unscrupulous, dubious fraudsters collecting money from innocent Nigerians all in the name of recruiting them into Merchant Navy.

 

“We as the only recognized Federal Government official gazetted body have written several letters against these illegal bodies more than a decade now and still writing all to no avail”, Aleakhue explained.

By Roland Ekama