Merchant Navy Union Vows To Redeem Members From PENGASSAN, SSASCGOC 

By Roland Ekama, Lagos

The newly elected National President of the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA), Engr. Bob Joseph Yousou has vowed to regain members that were poached by other sister maritime unions.

Recall that at the 1st quadrennial Delegates Conference held in Asaba Delta state recently , the outgoing executives lamented that one of the major challenges faced by the union was the poaching of members by other unions

The seafaring union fingered Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN ) and Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) ,Maritime Branch as two unions engaging members of the Merchant Navy outfit.

But speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday in Lagos,Engr Yousuo said his first move was to engage those that have left to union to the two aforementioned groups.

The President noted that part of this agenda is to further unionize more companies into the association using his influence as a seafarer.

Speaking alongside the Secretary of the association, Comrade John Okpono, he said he is opening a window for all officer cadre of seafarers to join force with the association to move it forward.

He maintained that the union was not too keen about check off dues for now but that those who by their positions qualify to join the union should do so to help develop it.

His words, “In my manifesto, I promised to move this association from here to a befitting secretariat and to unionize many companies this year and beyond.

“I am a seafarer and many seafarers know me and I will talk to them because I know the language to use and I believe the seafarers have confidence in me.

“We are not looking at the check off dues as paramount, we are just looking to make the association saleable, we can be like other big association even we hold a better position than any other union.

“Over 90 percent of the World trade today is handled by a merchant personeel then why canrmt we than have such percentage cough and the world will hear.

“This new regime is looking at bringing people together to help us do well because that is the only union you belong by trade union jurisdiction scope,” he said.

Despite refurbishing the union’s headquarters, barely two weeks after the election, Yousuo added that one of his prioroties is to relocate the secretariat from its present location at Palace Road, Olodi Apapa to a more befitting environment .