NSWBN Seeks MWUN, NMNOWTSSA Collaboration To Lead Welfare Campaign For Retired Seafarers

By Roland Ekama 

The National Seafarers’ Welfare Board of Nigeria (NSWBN), has called on the two unions in Nigeria to lead welfare campaign fund with support from the government as a means to cater for retired seafarers’ after active services.

As a veritable tool to better the lots of seafarers’ after retirement , the NSWBN canvassed that the reputable unions have what it takes to put smiles on the faces of those who had contributed their wealth of experience to world trade.

Legal Adviser to the board , Barrister Osuala Nwagbara who made the plea at a webinar meeting in commemoration of the 2024 Day of the seafarers’ over the weekend, as put together by National Seafarers’ Welfare Board of Nigeria (NSWBN), appealed to the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) and the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to support the welfare of retired seamen through a pool specially dedicated to cater for them.

The Maritime lawyer expressed dissatisfaction over the life of seafarers’ after retirement describing their situation as pathetic.

He lamented that most of the aged seafarers’ lived a life of penury after active service and that the unions should device means on how to change the narrative.

According to him, seafaring profession should command respect for their contribution to world trade and they most not be treated like paupers after active years of service.

He noted that the unions have attained enviable height in the seafaring profession globally , adding that the two unions have high powered representatives in the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), noting that this is the time to look inward and strategize on how to provide succour for the senior citizens.

“Seafarers’ need to be taking care of even after service and I think that their services should go beyond life at sea. However, I think their welfare should be prioritize after active service, therefore MWUN and NMNOWTSSA should come together and set up seafarers’ welfare board , whereby they will donate some percentage of the check off dues to that fund.”, Nwagbara suggested.

He added that” We should begin to look beyond active service of seafarers alone and focus on how to improve on retired seafarers welfare and well-being after active service too.”

On his part, Secretary of the Board of Trustee (BOT) NSWBN, Dr. Amos Kuje added that foreign seafarers’ are well catered for after active service

Kuje stated that the overall well being and happiness of very seafarers’ must be prioritize by their employers.

Kuje urged owners of vessels to ensure that communication between the seafarers’ and their families are prioritized adding that it will help boost the moral of workers aboard .

He noted that isolation of crew from their families send wrong signal and could affect their performance at sea negatively.