Anglican Communion Says Centre, Mission To Seafarers Lagos, Not Fully Position To Accommodate Foreign Seamen

Apparently worried about the facilities for seamen ,the Diocese of Lagos, Anglican Communion has disclosed that  the centre , Mission to Seafarers in Lagos is not fully positioned to attend to the needs of foreign seafarers that calls at the nation’s ports in their thousand annually.

The church  also called on stakeholders in the maritime sector and other well meaning Nigerians to support activities of the Mission to Seafarers in furtherance to encourage seamen in the line of duty and to meet international standard.

At this year’s Sea Sunday held in Lagos with the theme ,”Maritime Industry and Development of Nigeria- Connecting With Our Heritage; The Rt Reverend Dr. Humphrey Olumakaiye, Chief Host of the event, urged stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry, on Sunday, to help in  restructuring of the centre to meet international standard.

 

Olumakaiye solicited support to rebuild the centre  in Lagos with a view to reducing the sufferings of seafarers while they sail around the world to keep the global economy going.

Rt Reverend Olumakaiye, who was represented by the very Reverend Adebola Ojofeitimi, appealed for stakeholders’ support to rebuild the heritage of the Mission  in Lagos and provide services for them when they call at the nation’s seaports particularly the at Lagos ports.

He also prayed for God’s protection for all  stakeholders in the maritime sector, saying “We acknowledge our need for the food and raw materials they transport. We recognize that they are sometimes in danger and their long absence often involve sacrifices in their family life.

 

On his part,  Chairman , Mission to Seafarers, Chief Adebayo Sarumi who expressed concerned over  the nature of the seafaring profession pointed out that  seamen work under extremely difficult situations thus must be celebrated to let the whole world know the hazard of their work.

Sarumi, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA stated that Lagos port is very important to the world because not less than 8000 ships visit the ports annually and the international seafarers must be catered for spiritually,materially emotionally and mentally.

He noted that not less 30 seafarers are onboard foreign vessels that sail in to the Lagos ports alone thus the need to support the sailors.

According to him, the world celebrate the seafarers and the church is not an exception towards encourage the profession.

 

Chairman of the Seaport Terminal Association of Nigeria, STOAN, Dr Vicky Haastrup in her comment said that the Mission to Seafarers is an important mission to recognize the job of seafaring adding that seafarers need the love they can get emotionally and otherwise.

 

Haastrup who is the Executive Vice Chairman, ENL Consortium Limited, also said that seafarers are essential  workers for international trade to thrive adding that  terminal operators have a key role to play in assisting their operations globally.

 

She also assured that terminal operators will continue to support seafarers in their operations.

Similarly, the Assistant General Manager, Maritime and Operation, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Capt Jerome Angyuwne said that seafarers do their work in isolation of the world adding that he was very touched with the Mission to Seafarers support to the sailors.

 

He said; “With the issue of security all over the world, the seafarers are suffering, in isolation, getting attacked, getting kidnapped and getting killed. So when a body like Mission to Seafarers looking after the welfare of seafarers, they have a lot of responsibilities.

 

 

By Roland Ekama