The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) on Friday , raised concerns over the shortfall of Nigerian seafarers’ in global shipping trade participation .
Mohammed Dauda Safiyanu,
Africa Regional Secretary, ITF disclosed this at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) held in Lagos.
According to him, statistics has shown that Nigerian seafarers’ are not favourably participating in world shipping trade due to the low figure but affirmed that with constant training and retraining of Nigerians would fill the existing vacuum .
Safiyanu also called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to enter into strategic collaboration with the nation’s unions to empower Nigerian seamen and dockers in furtherance to compete favourably with their foreign counterpart.
He also assured that with modern maritime training for seafarers’ and dockers, jobs will be available for the maritime practitioners.
Safiyanu noted that ITF has established a call center at Tin Can Island and will also extend such facilities to other existing seaports in Nigeria , even as he described the innovation as first of its kind in the world.
He recalled that the international transport federation distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Nigerian unions during the COVID19 pandemic , adding that with the Maritime Affiliate Support also known as MAS PROJECT will also commence in Nigeria as part of efforts to provide succour for both seafarers ‘and dockworkers.
He said the MAS PROJECT is centred round two cardinal points which include how best to expand the ITF maritime agreement in Nigeria ; and ” Secondly , to see how best we can offer some assistance in terms of training so that Nigerian seafarers’ can actually be working beyond the cabotage trade agreement .
“Because from the record we have globally, we really understand that we have a very shortfall of Nigerian seafarers’ globally and the only way we can have that is to enhance our collaboration with NIMASA , so that we can have some level of understanding where Nigerian seafarers’ can be trained and have this global job opportunity.
“This project is actually designed to capture two affiliate Nigerian unions which include the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association and we have actually agreed to form a small working group.
Safiyanu also disclosed plans to establish docker and seafarers recreation center in Nigeria saying that the cooperation of the critical stakeholders was key towards ensuring a conducive environment for the maritime players.
According to him, the maritime workers union is critical and relevant to the Nigeria Labour Congress struggle pointing out that ITF will continue to support the nation’s unions in solidarity support.
Speaking earlier in his address , President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju reaffirmed that part of the union’s cardinal pursuit was the improvements of its manpower in conformity to global change in maritime operations.
Adeyanju noted that training and retraining of members of the union was paramount under his leadership pointing out that some of the beneficiaries have undergone online and physical contact training both locally and Internationally.
While commending the ITF contribution during the pandemic, he affirmed that the federation played instrumental role during the peak of COVID19 pandemic saying seafarers’and dockworkers benefitted from the palliative distribution.
Adeyanju stated that “Our focus as a union in that dire time has been foremost the protection of human health to prevent further spread of the COVID19 pandemic in ports, jetties, terminals, platforms and amongst maritime practitioners.
“With this in mind, the union set up two phase programme. First was the need for massive sensitisation of members in all ports and terminals on the need to stay safe and observe covid-19 protocol”,the union leader stressed.
By Roland Ekama
