The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) says the plan by the Federal Government to re-establish the Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL) without addressing the plight of disengaged aged seafarers who were part of the defunct carrier is a mirage.
President General, MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, said the ministry will consider the reestablishment of the NNSL through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
Adeyanju, who stated this in a statement made available to newsmen, described Oyetola’s plan to re-establish the NNSL as a mirage.
He said the re-establishment of a new NNSL after 28 years of its liquidation would be a mirage, if the retired seafarers who worked tirelessly with deep sense of patriotism for the country were not given their due rights.
“This will only amount to human injustice of the highest order. It will also be tantamount to placing the cart before the horse if such proposition is in the pipeline without first thinking of the aged seafarers.
“We, as a labour union, will not sit aloof and keep watching our aged seafarers to continue suffering unnecessary penury after meritorious years of service to their fatherland.
“It’s true that some of the aged seafarers have died from various types of ailments: some from psychological torture and trauma; mental degradation; abject poverty; and so much more that has weighed them down in depression”, he said.
He recalled that the former Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, had set up a committee involving two ministries, Ministry of Transportation, and Ministry of Labour to carry out physical verification exercise of the aged seafarers.
“The union thought this will bring some sort of succour, but the story is still the same. It’s indeed unfortunate to say here that the committee has never met.
“So, where do we go from here, when you want to refloat the NNSL with no consideration to the seafarers who served the defunct carrier vessels?
“This is unheard of anywhere globally. Therefore, the assertion for a new NNSL is a mirage in its conception, except the needful is done”, he said.
Adeyanju noted that he informed the Minister of the enormous task ahead of him in his ministry and varying major issues confronting the union, especially on the protracted unpaid entitlements and pensions of disengaged seafarers of the liquidated NNSL.
He noted that the union had a different view of the Minister when he did not speak about the aged seafarers who navigated the moribund national carrier vessels over the new NNSL proposal.
Adeyanju urged the Minister to look into the nagging issue of the seafarers in the country.
He, however, promised the Minister of the union’s support towards making sure that the nation achieves much in the sector in his tenure.