SHUT UP! Merchant Navy Union Slams Critics Over CBA, Membership, Says “You Lack Knowledge On Unionism”

The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) hit back at critics who doubted the figures released on its amplified membership and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) .

The explanation is coming on the heels of media reports by a group castigating the Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliate body for alleged bloating its membership figure.

The seafarers union further insisted that its membership strength is well above 10,000, calling on critics to seek vital information from the secretariat than result to cheap blackmail or unnecessary noise to seek relevancy.

The Merchant Navy Union which is the only registered body in Nigeria to oversee senior officers of seafarers aboard ships , said it was not ready to join issues with attention seekers over unnecessary criticism of figures they are not privy to, explained how the union has garnered the aforementioned figure of members in the last four years of its national President ,Comrade Bob Yousuo.

Speaking on Saturday in Lagos, against the backdrop of critics meddling into the affairs of the TUC affiliate, Secretary General of NMNOWTSSA, Comrade John Okpono Aleakhue , told our correspondent that membership claims of the union extends to both financial and jurisdictional membership.

He, pointed out that critics cannot hold brief on behalf the union on issues relating to seafarers ‘matter .

The scribe noted that the union has entered into robust relationship with the apex maritime regulatory agency in the area of capacity building, specially as it affect members in DP training ,adding that no group or persons can rubbish the relationship built with critical stakeholders.

He further took a swipe at the originator of the counter claim about the activities of NMNOWTSSA, saying that such an individual who call himself a captain cannot and have never sail onboard a wooden boat talk less of knowing what obtained at bigger ships at sea .

Aleakhue further explained that membership covers officers working on coastal and offshore, inland waterways authority , among others.

According to him, majority of senior staff of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and fishing Zonal Councils alone was close to the figures aforementioned.

He reiterated “To the best of my knowledge, Merchant Navy is a gazetted body, it is not a personal organisation and by its statutory position, it is only NMNOWTSSA that can speak on behalf of Nigerian seafarers and the other body that can also speak for the ratings is the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria

“NMNOWTSSA recognizes the need for Nigerian seafarers welfare and well being which must not be tampered with. We do the best in line with international best practices as an affiliate of ITF to ensure that they get what they deserve.

“To me, that publication was a shocker to the association and what we saw on the online media credited to that group because we are not dragging anything with any group.

“We don’t want to join issues with impostors and attention seekers. Merchant Navy is a professional body to hold briefs for Nigerian seafarers in line with our statutory responsibilities

“We have close association with Master Mariners, Marine Engineers and Surveyors body, Naval Architecture and Surveyors. These are the bodies recognized in Nigeria today.

“The group has no jurisdiction over seafarers and we will not join issues with a faceless group but to set the record straight

“Talking about membership strength, Merchant Navy has both financial and jurisdictional members. We cover more than the seafarers. Merchant Navy cover officers that are working coastal and offshore.

“Our membership cuts across inland Authority which is NIWA and NIWA operates in about 21 states in Nigeria and all the civil servants from grade level 7 are automatic members of Merchant Navy

“Looking at the fishery sector, the Marine fishers including the artisanal and the industrial workers. The artisanal is the informal sector while the industrial is the formal sector. All the officers in these categories belong to Merchant Navy .

Giving a vivid knowledge against the backdrop of membership, the scribe stressed that the union has both financial and non financial
members, adding that the scope of membership is wide because of the NMNOWTSSA peculiarity nature.

“Artisanal members alone are more than five thousand members cut across Nigeria.

“So, what we are trying to say is that when you are not informed, you are deformed.

“They are supposed to know that members of Merchant Navy include seafarers and those working in the transport sector like the inland waterways and when you look at the ten thousand membership declared, to the best of our knowledge, we are up to that looking at members from coastal, offshore, NIWA and fishery

“When we talk about industrial, we are talking about members of NITOA family comprising of four officers in a vessel and they have more than 250 vessels. Not.onky that, they have those who are ashore, those who are on shore leave

“We are happy to defend what we stated that our membership strength is above ten thousand and we stand by it,” he emphasized.

On the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for Members, he maintained that the Maritime Affiliate Support (MAS) project has helped the union in negotiation for welfare of members

“Merchant Navy under Bob Yousou, we are doing a lot to see that our members are not used as slaves in their various workplaces.

“In conclusion, NMNOWTSSA extends its appreciation to our genuine members for standing behind us. The pivotal role played by the Association in ensuring Nigerian seafarers are recognized worldwide and engage us on something worthy of note.

“As Merchant Navy under the leadership of Engr. Bob Yousou navigate its vision and mission for Nigeria seafarers trajectory the contribution of our stakeholders like Master Mariners, Association of Engineers and Surveyors, Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, Indigenous Ship Owners Association are appreciated.

“All hands must be on deck to achieving a better place for Nigerian seafarers,” he appealed.

Recall that a group under the aegis of The Merchant Seafarers Association of Nigeria (MESAN) countered a claim made by a NMNOWTSSA , that it has secured about 20 Collective Bargaining Agreements with Shipping companies and manning agents as well as increased membership from 3000 to about 10,000 Nigerian Seafarers in the last 4 years.

He further cautioned the wannabe group, claiming to be seafarers’ association to stop issuing certificate to innocent Nigerians under the guide of training.