The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association NMNOWTSSA has called on the federal government to promote local content and the cabotage act as part of efforts to reducing foreign dominance in the nation’s maritime sector.
The Trade Union Congress TUC affiliate association made this known on Sunday, in commemoration to the international workers day celebration.
National President NMNOWTSSA , Comrade Bob Yousou who stated this in his Workers’ Day message, tasked the government to checkmate the influx of foreign seafarers into the nation’s maritime space ,noting that lack of enforcement and implementation of the cabotage act by regulatory agencies has resulted to unemployment.
Yousou , while highlighting some of the challenges faced by Nigerian seafarers reiterated that the union will continue to support policies of government in furtherance to discourage foreign nationality from participating in Nigeria’s coastal businesses .
He further decried delay in wages of Nigerian seafarers by their respective employers ,ship owners and manning agents, describing such practices as “Slavery Arrangements”.
The president explained that while foreigners engaged in the nation’s territorial waters get paid as at when due, their local counterparts were not treated equally .
According to him, an average Nigeria worker ‘s standard of living was poor noting that the non existence of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for seafarers in most of the shipping companies was discouraging.
He also appealed for the federal government to up the ante in tackling the security challenges in the country pointing out the alarming rate of kidnapping, ritualists, drug trafficking and banditry need urgent attention.
The NMNOWTSSA boss further congratulates Nigerian seafarers and workers in commemoration of the global event , adding that there is hope for Nigeria as an entity in spite of the insecurity challenges.
He further urged Nigerian seafarers to join hands with the leadership of the union to ensure that international best practice is achieved in the maritime sector.
“We must be united to fight our common enemies – the slave master of our time,” the president opined.
The NMNOWTSSA is also an affiliate of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).
Yousou explained that”We are ITF affiliate. We
use this opportunity to request that the Federal Government of Nigeria consider floating a national career.
“With National career, cadets can have sea time training, carry Nigeria cargoes thereby reducing capital freight, help to reduce unemployment as well as the pride of the nation as the maritime hub in West Africa.”
By Roland Ekama
