*Discriminates against Nigerian seafarers
Vincent Toritseju
27 November 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — The concessionaire operating the pilotage service of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA is not only flouting the Cabotage Act by engaging foreigners to man their vessels but are discriminating against Nigerian seafarers who work on board their ships used for pilotage service,
It was gathered that the concessionaire, Landfall, engages unqualified seafarers from Greece, Philippine and some other countries who are training are trained by their Nigerian counterparts at resumption.
Besides flouting the Cabotage Act which makes it unlawful for vessels operating within the nation’s waters to be crewed by foreigners, the company pay Nigerians pie nuts, with a foreign Able Seaman earning far more than a Nigerian captain.
A source in the company told Sweetcrudereports that while a Nigerian Able seaman gets N20,000 monthly upkeep while boarding and N70,000 monthly salary; their foreigner gets N35,000 and $2,000 for monthly upkeep and monthly salary for the same function.
For the captains, while the Nigerians get between N280,000 to N320,000 monthly as a salary, their foreign counterparts go home with 3,200 Euros monthly.
Vanguard Maritime Report learnt that the labour union of the company had taken the issue to their mother union (the NPA branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN) and the MWUN both in writing and verbally without any response.
The Nigerian seafarers are also placed on contract of a year renewable after it elapses.
A situation which makes it easy for the management of the company to refuse the renewal of the contract of any staff who stresses more on their entitlement.
It was also gathered that a former chairman of the labour union of the company, Hillary Okorie was the first victim as his contract was not renewed for his fight to right the wrongs against the workers,
Efforts to get the reaction of the management of the proved abortive while President General of MWUN, Adewale Adeyunjo, neither picked his call nor responded to a text message on the issueR.
