– Seafarers says having a national fleet will reduce capital flight
Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, NMNO/WTSSA, have decried the non-availability of a multilateral agreement between Nigerian and other maritime countries, a development that denied thousands of Nigerian seafarers’ employment in the seafaring sub-sector of the Nigerian maritime industry.
Speaking at the just concluded World Seafarers Day celebration in Lagos, President of the group, Engr. Joseph Yousuo, disclosed that Ghana has mutual agreement with almost 30 maritime communities hence the recognition of Ghana’s Certificate of Competence.
The agreement, according to Yousuo, has also led to Ghana dominating seafarers’ employment in the sub-region and called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to open up talks with other nations on the matter.
On the lack of class 2 and 1 certification, the group suggested that Maritime training in Nigeria should have both their facilities and personnel upgraded so as to meet international standard for the issuance of these certificates with a view to enabling Nigerian seafarers work on board foreign and bigger vessels.
Yousuo also called for tax exemption for seafarers adding that Nigeria is the only country in the world that still tax their seafarers noting sailors spend most of their time in the sea but tax is levied on the place of abode.
He said: “Most Nigerian seafarers are unemployed. With the Cabotage regime in force, unemployment of Nigerian seafarers will be a thing of the past. Waiver should not be an option; it is inimical to Nigerian seafarers.
“Some shipping companies mostly trawlers terminate sailors’ employment without due process. We urge NIMASA to call the employers of labour in this category to be mindful of the disregard to the rights of an employee.
“NIMASA as the regulatory agency should as a matter of urgency issue a Marine Notice to all seafarers’ employers engaged in this slavery attitude to take caution about the non-payment of wages and under-payment to Nigerian seafarers as this is the current trend in our maritime sector. A sanction should be placed on any company with such an act.”
