By Roland Ekama
Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, Deputy President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and former President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN),has expressed worries over the delay in the payment of aged seafarers pension benefits
Adeyanju in statement today marked the Day of the Seafarer (25 June) by honouring seafarers’ vital role in global trade and demanding urgent payment of long-overdue pensions and back pay for aged seafarers.
Observing this year’s IMO theme, “Carrying World Trade. Carrying The Risks,” Adeyanju noted that 2026 has been especially hazardous for mariners because of conflicts that disrupted critical routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
He praised seafarers’ courage and dedication in navigating dangerous waters and sustaining world trade despite heightened risks.
“A major focus of his remarks was the continued delay in settling pensions and outstanding entitlements for retired seafarers, he said.
Adeyanju expressed deep anger over the failure to act after a verification exercise—carried out at the NPA quarters in Bode Thomas almost four years ago under his leadership when he served as MWUN President-General—was completed. He warned that many beneficiaries have since died, others are seriously ill and incapacitated, and survivors remain trapped in abject poverty.
Adeyanju appealed directly to the federal government to “honour whom it is due” by clearing the backlog and providing prompt financial relief to aged seafarers. He emphasized the moral and practical imperative to alleviate the retirees’ suffering and restore dignity to those who served at sea.
While raising concerns about retirees’ unpaid dues, Adeyanju also commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy for ongoing port transformation efforts. He urged the minister to reinstate onboard gangway men on berthed vessels to reduce pilfering and economic sabotage, describing these personnel as the “eagle eyes” who help secure ships at quay aprons.
He further highlighted shortcomings at the Nigerian Maritime Academy, Oron, calling it “a vehicle without an engine.” Adeyanju argued that graduates are leaving the academy without proper certification and with limited access to sea time, and he tasked the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to ensure Oron graduates are fully certificated and employable.
Adeyanju concluded by thanking maritime employers and practitioners for persevering through difficult times and encouraged them to keep “the flag flying,” affirming optimism for the sector’s future.
