A front line dockworker in Rivers State, Comrade Harry Waite, says the only solution to end piracy in the Niger Delta region is for the federal and state governments to create jobs for the unemployed youths.
Comrade Waite appealed to the government and private sectors to accommodate the unemployed youths by providing jobs, saying that is the only panacea to solving piracy and other acts of criminality in the Niger Delta.
He spoke with The Tide in an interview on Wednesday, while reacting to issues bothering the maritime industry in the country.
Waite who is the Trustee, Dockworkers Branch, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria ( MWUN), said the act of piracy by youths had negatively affected the maritime industry in the state .
“Piracy by youths had set the maritime industry back and affected the ports across the nation”, he said.
He urged the youth to refrain from negative acts and seek meaningful jobs other than criminality.
“Piracy is criminal, we don’t advise our youths to indulge in it; it is a crime globally to involve in such unholy act”, he said.
He noted that piracy had scared away most of vessel owners coming to Eastern ports as the crew members are frequently abducted with huge ransom paid.
Waite said no maritime activities can function effectively in any port if there are cases of sea robbery attack on vessels and crew members on daily basis, lamenting that the act had brought low patronage to the two ports in the state.
He called on the Nigerian Navy and marine Police to always patrol and guard the waterways to ensure the safety of crew members and property.
He, however, lauded the Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, for providing adequate security at the complex and his ability in revamping the port to full maritime operation.

Chinedu Wosu