Experts canvass enhanced welfare for seafarers

Experts in the maritime sector have called on relevant authorities to make the welfare of the Nigerian seafarers their number one priority for the enhancement of the welfare
According to Captain Ojutalayo Fola the support and intervention of the government is needed in enhancing the welfare of the seafarers.

The support and intervention of the government are needed in enhancing the welfare of the seafarers. If it is under a normal circumstance, I would have started with the ship owners because they are the ones in the front line of providing employment for seafarers, but with the way it is and with our experience in the industry, I believe the government needs to intervene in promoting some regulatory framework that will actually enhance the promotion of seafarers’ welfare vis-à-vis respect for our national seafarers” he said.
Speaking further, Ojutalayo called for attitudinal change in how ship-owners treat Nigerian seafearers.

When you look at the area of payment of salaries, provision of necessary tools and materials for working on board and medication, you will discover that the front liners who are the ship owners are the ones responsible for providing these things for our seafarers. They tend to be a little bit laid back since they have Nigerians on board. But this same group of people, immediately they have foreigners on board, the attitude will change.

They provide everything needed by the foreigners and pay them better. Yet, our ship-owners spend more in bringing these foreign seafarers to Nigeria, put them in the best hotels, put them on the vessel and treat them like kings. But for Nigerian seafarers, they only sometimes give them transport fare. In fact most of the times, ship owners will tell them to find their way to the vessel” he added.

On his part, Captain Adewale Ishola called for better remuneration for the seafarers in line with global best practices.

The seafarers salary should be increased, salary should be paid pertaining to what they are doing and it should meet up with international standard. NIMASA should also enforce Maritime Labour Convention 2006 which I believe will take care of the welfare of seafarers in many areas” he said