Maritime
Seafarers, Lifeblood Of Maritime Industry – Oyetola
Seafarers are the lifeblood of the maritime industry, which is essential to the success of the Blue Economy.
This opinion was expressed by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola in Lagos during the commemoration of the 2024 Day of the Seafarer on Tuesday.
In the same vein, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, opined that Nigeria has the potential to be a maritime powerhouse, with the right policies in place.
The Minister, assured in his keynote address that the Federal Government was committed to the development of the Nigerian maritime sector.
He stated that the theme for this year’s celebration; “Navigating the Future, Safety First,” aligns with the vision of the Ministry of the Marine and Blue Economy.
In his words, “Seafarers are the lifeblood of the maritime industry. They endure the isolation of the open sea, the unpredictability of weather, and the myriads of challenges that come with navigating some of the world’s busiest and most perilous waters. Their resilience, dedication, and unwavering commitment ensure that goods and resources reach every corner of our planet, supporting livelihoods and promoting international trade.”
The Minister who was represented by the Director, Maritime Safety and Security in the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Babatunde Bombata, gave the assurance that the Federal Government remains committed to collaborating with industry stakeholders and steadfast in advocating for the rights and welfare of Nigerian seafarers.
“We are committed to providing comprehensive training programmes, enforcing stringent safety regulations, and offering continuous support to ensure our seafarers are among the best trained and most resilient in the world. We are dedicated to building on this foundation, ensuring that Nigerian seafarers are equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of the modern maritime landscape”, he said.
Furthermore, he pledged the Ministry’s resolve to prioritize the growth and development of the Marine and Blue Economy Sector, noting that it’s development of the sector will greatly benefit all Nigerians and future generations.
He added, “We are working closely with stakeholders in the private sector, international organizations, and other government agencies to create an enabling environment for the growth of the Maritime and Blue Economy.”
He also used the opportunity to call for stakeholders’ support in the development of the sector, noting that the Ministry cannot undertake the task alone. “This celebration of World Seafarers Day presents a unique opportunity to explore emerging issues and propose innovative solutions to the challenges facing the sector. We must remain resolute and deliberate in promoting the growth and development of the Marine and Blue Economy Sector, as the Ministry cannot achieve this alone”.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, along with his counterpart in the House of Representatives, applauded the seafarers for their resilience and assured them of the Government’s continuous support to guarantee their well-being.
They assured of the readiness of the National Assembly to work with NIMASA and other stakeholders to support any legislation aimed at advancing the rights and safety of all seafarers. “Together, let us continue to strive for a maritime world that is equitable and inclusive for all,” Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun stated.
On his part, Dr. Mobereola, acknowledged the uniqueness of the profession and the challenges faced. He noted that the theme for this year’s celebration,
“Navigating the Future: Safety First,” is a call to address the challenging conditions seafarers face while navigating the sea. He emphasized the need for greater focus on their well-being and safety at sea.
“We recognize the humongous challenges Seafarers face while sailing; ranging from piracy, kidnapping, encounter at war zones exposure to health risks and unfair treatment. Notwithstanding all these, Nigeria has recorded zero piracy incidents in the last two years; we will not rest on our oars as the life of every seafarer matters”, Mobereola stated.
He assured that the Agency will continue to collaborate with both local and international organizations to address global issues affecting seafarers and ensure their safety while navigating the future.
“Nigeria has the young population to compete with other countries whose seafarers contribute immensely to their Gross Domestic Product (GDGDP. Hence, the Agency will continue to invest in training and capacity-building programs to enhance seafarers’ skills, welfare and employment opportunities”.
Dr. Mobereola used the opportunity to inform stakeholders that the Agency is working tirelessly to strengthen its legal frameworks by domesticating all Maritime Labour related ILO Conventions ratified by Nigeria.
“These conventions include the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 as amended, the Seafarers Identity Document (SID) Convention as amended, and the Dock Work Convention”, he said.
“We will continue to focus on implementing programs and projects to improve seafarers’ welfare, including mental health support, safety training, and emergency assistance. Also we will continue to eliminate substandard vessels from our waters and ensure wrecks are removed to aid navigation and safety for our seafarers”, he assured.
He also mentioned that many beneficiaries of our Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) are currently undergoing mandatory sea-time training aboard ocean-going vessels.
The Agency is collaborating with key stakeholders like the NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Indigenous Shipping Companies and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), all geared towards boosting the capacity of the seafarers.
Katie Higginbottom from the International Transport Federation (ITF), who joined virtually, emphasized that seafarers are a critical part of the maritime sector.
She also commended NIMASA’s renewed collaboration with the ITF to ensure seafarers receive the necessary attention from their respective governments.
Prof Max Mejia, President of the World Maritime University, who also joined virtually, expressed gratitude to the seafarers and described them as the modern day heroes who deserve celebration.
In their goodwill messages, stakeholders took turns to praise the invaluable contributions of seafarers to the global economy, urging governments to continue supporting them through favorable policies that will enhance their wellbeing in line with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006.
They include President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju; President of the Shipowners Association of Nigeria; Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Hassan; among others.”
The International Day of the Seafarer is celebrated annually on June 25 to recognize the contributions of seafarers to international seaborne trade and the world economy as a whole. The day is organized by the International Maritime Organization and recognized by the United Nations as an observance day.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola has cautioned members of the public on the existence of several unauthorized social media accounts making the rounds and purportedly belonging to him.
Dr Mobereola via his verified X handle @MobereolaD made it clear that the fake accounts are not affiliated or endorsed by him, or the Agency, in any way and advised members of the public to be wary and only communicate with official social media platforms.
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For the avoidance of doubt, any party that puts itself forward as acting on behalf of NIMASA, or any member of the Agency’s Executive Management, for any purpose whatsoever is completely false and NIMASA disclaims and bears no responsibility whatsoever for their action.
Members of the public are hereby urged to treat with suspicion any such offerings and verify their claims in order not to fall prey to these scammers, as NIMASA has not designated any entity or persons to act on its behalf. Please report such incidents to info@nimasa.gov.ng or the appropriate law enforcement Agencies.
The DG thus expressly disclaimed any liability for any losses incurred by any person(s) as a result of reliance on such fraudulent Facebook accounts, LinkedIn, e-mails and other online publications.
The 296 Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), beneficiaries at the Centurion University, India have been assured of adequate capacity development till they qualify as globally employable Seafarers.
The assurance was given on Wednesday in Lagos, by the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola in a statement.
He described media reports claiming that the Agency plans to withdraw the NSDP cadets from the Centurion University, India as false.
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Dr Mobereola maintained that the Agency was only carrying out due diligence on the existing MoU to align the processes in the best interest of the Nigerian students.
He said, “We are not recalling any NSDP beneficiary from Centurion University. We are only working to close out all identified gaps in the existing Memorandum of Understanding before proceeding to the next stage.
“A situation where the Agency entered into a contractual agreement with Springdale Academy of Maritime Education and Training, SAMET with agreed courses and timelines only to be faced with additional course duration and an alien programme by the agent, SAMET, unilaterally converting the programme without the consent of the Agency as prescribed by the MoU may not be in the best interest of the students.”
Speaking further, he said “There were issues of non-accreditation of one of institution as at the time of the execution of MoU, change of course from Marine engineering to Mechanical engineering without recourse to the Agency, preparing the grounds for additional years of studies and uncertainties for the students, raising issues related to funding, and the various third parties arrangements without duly informing the Agency.”
He also noted that the Management of NIMASA is aware of a sponsored media campaign of calumny against the NIMASA Management stating that it will not deter NIMASA from doing the right thing.
“We are aware of orchestrated media campaigns and petitions against the Agency reviewing the existing arrangement. We will not give in to blackmail as the safety and wellbeing of our students are paramount,” he stated.
The NSDP was introduced in 2009 to develop capacity by training young Nigerians as seafarers and bridge the gap of dearth of seafarers globally.
Under the scheme, Nigerian youths are trained in specialized courses such as Marine Engineering, Nautical Sciences and Nautical Surveys amongst others, to ensure they qualify as Seafarers, which makes them globally employable.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Chatham House London have resolved to raise the issue of Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) this month.
This decision was reached during a session between Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Director General of NIMASA, and Dr. Alex Vines, Director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, accompanied by his team.
The Agency and Chatham House have also commenced collaboration to convene a meeting of international stakeholders from both the public and private sector in Nigeria, with the aim of developing a position paper on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
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The NIMASA DG emphasized the importance of effective international partnership to sustain security in the Gulf of Guinea.
In his words “We had a very fruitful discussion with the team at Chatham House. The decision to engage the UN Security Council is to ensure they are well informed about the progress made so far in terms of security in the Gulf of Guinea. We also need an independent analysis of the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea and how best to transform the gains in terms of enhanced security, into tangible economic benefits such as reduction in the cost of all Nigerian Bound freight and issues bothering on payment of war risk insurance premium for Nigerian bound vessels. The coming on board of Chatham House will serve as a catalyst in developing our Blue Economy.”
Chatham House helps people, societies and governments to understand and adapt to change and has been a source of independent analysis, trusted dialogue for one hundred years.
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