· Nigerian ships can’t absorb 7,000 cadets in one year – Warredi
· Mental health, safety are major challenges – Folarin
By Kenneth Jukpor
As the world marked the International Seafarer’s Day last week, Nigerian seafarers may face more challenges as a result of few opportunities to practice in the country, let alone the global terrain.
The 2019 figures stating that 7000 Nigerian seafarers were placed onboard vessels as published by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has become a worrisome postulation that threatens the sustainability of seafaring in the country.
While the COVID-19 pandemic halted the fanfare and flamboyant celebration observed in Nigeria and other parts of the world, the state of affairs for seafaring calls for sober reflection, shipping experts have said.
Three weeks after shipping stakeholders queried the reality of the 7000 seafarers claimed to have been placed onboard vessels by NIMASA, the article Unveiling NIMASA’s 7000 Seafarers’ Scam has elicited more uncertainties.
Dr. Dakuku Peterside, immediate past Director General of NIMASA, reacting to the initial news story maintained that the figures are verifiable at NIMASA.
His words: “Seafarers placement is different from seatime. Seafarers’ placement means Nigerians who are engaged onboard cabotage vessels. Seatime is for cadets who are in training. NIMASA has never ever given contract for seafarers’ placement. For seatime, NIMASA’s responsibility is only for Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP)”.
Dakuku gave the breakdown of Nigerian Seafarers onboard cabotage vessels per year as follows, “In 2014 -2,150 Nigerians were placed onboard cabotage vessels, 2015 had 5,165 recommended (3,193 engaged), 2016 saw 5,965 Nigerians onboard vessels, 2017 was 6,610 Nigerians, 2018 had 7,311 Nigerians onboard cabotage vessels”
Contrarily, a former Director, Shipping Development at NIMASA, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh posited that NIMASA’s assertion that 7,000 seafarers placed onboard cabotage vessels in one year is false.
According to the former NIMASA Director, the available indigenous ships cannot absorb 7,000 seafarers in one year as claimed by maritime regulatory agency.
“What type of Nigerian ships can take 7,000 people in one year, especially cadets? So, if you look at the Cabotage system we have in Nigeria, what type of vessels are they? How many ships are even carrying oil because most of Nigeria’s local shipping is oil content? How many of them are actually in operations?”
“I think the best thing to do to get to the bottom of this is to go to the Seafarers Training department and then ask for the ships they have placed cadets. They should list all of them because no ship within the country that is in operations that can take on the average they can only have 5 of them onboard. Let’s even say 7 cadets are allowed onboard all the ships, do you think Nigeria has 1,000 ships? This figure is not impossible.” Warredi told our correspondent.
Although NIMASA Directorates insist that the figures are correct, the agency is yet to show any proof that such amount of seafarers were actually engaged in the period under review.
When quizzed on this, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh said that NIMASA would give substantial information on the figures soonest, noting that the relevant departments have assured that they have evidence that support the seafarers placement figures.
His words: “Sometime recently, I saw a front page report on MMS Plus on seafarers training. Subsequently, I called those concerned to confirm the veracity of the statement. If it is true NIMASA made such statement, then we have to defend it. I don’t want to give you an incorrect figure, but the ball is in our court to defend our submission.”
“This is a wake-up call for NIMASA to gather its documents and be able to state the number of NSDP students that have graduated, the number placed on seatime and employment. However, I can assure you that two weeks ago, the executive management confirmed the employment of some of the seafarers. Those who performed wonderfully were employed as full-fledged staff of NIMASA. We would get back to you.”
As the world marked the International Day of Seafarers, shipping experts reiterated the need to prioritize the welfare of seafarers, training, certification and employment opportunities for the practitioners in Nigeria.
Speaking with MMS Plus on the global Day of Seafarers, the Chairman, National Seafarers Welfare Board (NSWB) Nigeria, Otunba Kunle Folarin noted mental health and safety as major issues confronting seafarers around the world.
“The mental health challenge is as a result of long voyages. This means that all countries should encourage their immigration personnel to be flexible enough to give shore passes to seafarers when they arrive. It affects their mental health if they are restricted onboard a vessel for 45days,” Otunba said.
He pointed out that the first victims of piracy attacks are seafarers, admonishing all maritime administrations to prioritize their responsibility of safety and also provide distress centres where seafarers in distress can contact the relevant authorities.
Otunba expressed satisfaction that NIMASA has deployed its first arrest under the Anti-piracy law, adding that there must be a continuous surveillance on the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) which is the location where seafarers’ lives are most endangered.
“In Nigeria, there are several centres created for seafarers visiting Nigeria, both local and foreign. These facilities include recreational ones and those to help them connect with their loved ones through the internet. NSWB has should drop centres at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports,” he added.
Meanwhile, a former President of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA), Engr. Matthew Alalade said the welfare of seafarers is paramount in relation to Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).
According to him, MLC guarantees seafarers reasonable hours of work, medical attention and other welfare issues they need to be comfortable either at sea or onshore, adding that Nigeria should comply with international conventions already ratified.
Alalade posited that additional welfare packages should be introduced for the services rendered during COVID-19 in maintaining the maritime transportation and global trade.
“The nation must invest in its training institutes, purchase training vessels and create an environment that supports indigenous ship owners to absorb Nigerian seafarers. In the past our government has been celebrating only CADETs, not remembering the ratings, deck and engine officers as seafarers. They usually promote only the cadets. Cadets are just like apprentice. Let us remember the past seafarers in order to encourage those coming behind,” he said.
Alalade commended seafarers around the globe for their courage, resilience and bravery amid the COVID-19 pandemic, even as he called for innovative strategies for acquisition of vessels for commercial and training purposes via Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for efficiency.
Meanwhile, Capt. Warredi also admonished NIMASA to address the challenges with seafarers’ certification.
“One of the major issues in the Nigeria is seafarers’ certification system. NIMASA has to see to that issue because so many flag ships are coming to work in Nigeria and if Nigeria’s certificate is not recognized, you will continue to have foreigners on Nigerian waters”, he said.
He also noted that this could be a very big security problem as other countries could plant spies on their ships and get to know everything about Nigerian waters.
“Imagine doing oil business and everybody on your water are foreigners. If they are doing something wrong how would you know? So, the certification process needs to be given serious attention,” Warredi stressed.
