NSML Raises Concerns Over Shortage Of Senior Cadre Officers Aboard Ships

The Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas NLNG Shipping Management Limited (NSML) has expressed worries over the shortage of skilled seafarers in the senior level cadres aboard vessels globally.

 

NSML,the shipping arm of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) also disclosed that it has trained over 107 indigenous seafarers on sea-time experience .

 

Speaking at a training programme put together by maritime journalists under the aegis;  Shipping Correspondent Association of Nigeria (SCAN) with theme, NLNG Vessels: Movement and Challenges , held in Lagos on Wednesday, Managing Director of NSML ,Mr. Abdulkadir Ahmed reiterated that there is a global shortage of skilled officers in the maritime industry.

“The paucity of qualified and competent officers rising man-berth ratios and a continued fleet attractiveness of a career at sea, coupled with growth is likely to result in the highest shortfall officers in the coming years.

 

“There is a global shortage of skilled officers in the maritime industry. Industry sources point to an expected to persist into the future.

” Diminishing increasing demand for qualified seafarers, particularly the officers, and this situation is globally. ”

While speaking at the panel session of the conference, The Fleet Manager, NSML, Hambali Yusuf, said Nigeria is the only nation of the world where seafarers  pay tax .

 

According to him, Nigeria is losing so many seafarers to foreign nations due to the tax related issues.

 

He said advocacy and aggressive campaign could make the government to see reasons on the need for seamen to stop tax payment.

 

He restated the need for advocacy to let the government know how these things are done outside the country.

 

 

Giving a vivid explanation, Yusuf, stressed that“In India, if you are not in the country for 7 months, you won’t pay any tax. But in Nigeria, if you are not around for a whole year, you are still going to pay taxes and you know the tax are graded depending on your grade.

 

“If you are a seafarer, and you see where you can go and be paid fully without tax being deducted, won’t you like to go there?”

“There needs to be advocacy to let the government know what is obtainable elsewhere. Some international seafarers don’t border for pensions.”

He said that in Nigeria pensions are deducted in Dollars but paid back to them in Naira.

 

Earlier, the President of SCAN, Mr Eugene Agha, stressed the need for the media and management of NSML to synergize in achieving a mutual relationship in the area of publicity and projecting activities of the company.

 

Agha noted that “The changing trends in the global energy sector demands a corresponding improvement and updating of the knowledge and skills of the media practitioners.

“This will help them to continually avail stakeholders the opportunities and risks inherent in this sector, which can attract more enabling legislation to reposition the sector, tackle challenges and pull healthier competition and more gains,” he said.