Maritime
Merchant navy laments maritime law implementation
LAGOS-The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Senior Staff Association has lamented the non-domestication of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, nearly a year after its certification.
A composition of over 68 existing conventions and recommendations on seafarers, the MLC 2006 provides for the effective management and regulation of employers/employees relationship.
The Nigeria Maritime Safety and Administration Agency had in June 2014 begun the implementation of the MLC 2006, after its ratification in 2013.
The President of the association, Mr. Matthew Alalade, said, “Although NIMASA commenced the implementation last year, the MLC 2006 is still not in force in Nigeria because it is yet to be domesticated. We have got existing laws such as the Merchant Shipping Act, NIMASA Act and so on, which all have similar features with the MLC 2006.
“It is the Ministry of Transport that is responsible for pushing the MLC 2006 to the National assembly and it has been passed to them by NIMASA; NIMASA is yet to do this. They should coordinate with the Ministry of Labour and Transport to ensure that this is done.”
Alalade expressed regrets that NIMASA, which was formerly in the forefront of the ratification of the convention, had slowed down with its implementation.
The Secretary General, NMNOWTSSA, Mr. Julius Efokpor, said the non domestication of the convention was a dangerous development for seafarers in the country.
He said, “Shipowners are aware of the part that they have to play and some are working in tandem with the convention. However, if things continue as they are, it will get to a time when the shipowners will realise that the regulatory body is doing nothing about the implementation and they will stop trying to conform to the convention.
“Already, there are certain areas of the convention that are being flouted. For one, you are not supposed to engage any seafarer without the representative of the union being present but people are doing the contrary.
“Then the new salary scale is yet to be implemented; there is a bench mark salary scale for seafarers. What is in force presently is the old salary scale. All these things can be quickly and easily corrected once the MLC has been domesticated.”
Under the MLC 2006, shipowners are to provide evidence of compliance with provisions of Employees Compensation Act 2010, Pensions Reform Act 2004, National Health Insurance Scheme 1999 and any amendments when requested.
NIMASA had convened a special session of ship-owners, seafarer employers, manning agents and seafarers last year, to acquaint them with their rights and obligations under the MLC 2006.
The Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, NIMASA, Mrs. Juliana Gunwa at the session, had said, “Shipowners are to ensure that each seafarer on board has a comprehensive, well understood written contract of employment which includes detailed terms and conditions, provisions for repatriation and distress of seafarers and social security benefits among others.
She had also outlined the responsibilities and obligations of manning agents and seafarers and enjoined them to comply with all the regulations of the MLC 2006.
The Assistant Secretary General of the NMNOWTSSA, Mr. John Aleakhue, while urging seafarers to come forward in cases of maltreatment, called on qualified seafarers seeking employment to liaise with the association and register with them.
He said prospective employers often preferred to employ qualified seafarers through the association.
Punch-
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has deposited three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the global body.
He did so on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which acts as the repository for these conventions.
This move, coming a few weeks after Nigeria declared its intention to contest election for a seat on the IMO Council, is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
Shortly after the presentation ceremonies, Oyetola informed the IMO Secretary General, Arsenio Dominguez, of the President’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria aligns with international maritime standards regarding maritime safety, security, and sustainable marine practices.
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He also called on the IMO to extend technical support to Nigeria.
In his words, “These instruments, duly acceded by His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signify Nigeria’s continued commitment to aligning with international maritime standards, ensuring maritime safety and security, and promoting sustainable marine practices.
“We hereby request tailored technical cooperation under the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with IMO conventions and improve our maritime governance and implementation of the instruments we submitted today.”
On his part, Dominguez, acknowledged with appreciation the formal deposition of the Instruments of Accession, stating that it underscores Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to aligning with global maritime standards.
“I congratulate Nigeria for its exceptional efforts in acceding to these six critical IMO instruments. I encourage continued momentum by securing presidential assent to additional key conventions. We at the IMO remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria through technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of these instruments,” he stated.
The instruments Oyetola handed over to Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).
It was gathered that three other Instruments of Accession signed by President Tinubu are undergoing further steps to complete the processes for their deposit.
Funds accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are intact and currently held with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Single Treasury Account (TSA).
This assertion was made by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
The clarification became necessary to address “a misleading publication alleging that funds have disappeared from the CVFF account”.
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The statement reads, in part, “The report of a missing money is both misleading and false.
“For the record, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, securely held in the NIMASA account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), remains intact. There has been no disappearance of funds, and no illegal transactions, as the article suggests. This misinformation is a figment of the authors imagination, aimed at undermining NIMASA’s integrity, and mislead the public about the Agency’s operations.
“The Management of NIMASA will ensure that the CVFF is utilised in line with its statutory purpose. NIMASA Director General, Dr Mobereola has assured stakeholders of the safety of funds under the CVFF.”
The statement cited the DG thus, “Let us be clear that the CVFF account at the Central Bank of Nigeria is safe, intact, and secure. We at NIMASA will continue to manage it with the utmost responsibility, and there are no irregularities or illegal activities surrounding the funds. I urge the public to disregard this false narrative and to continue trusting the Agency’s ability to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime sector”.
It was gathered that the CVFF is a fund established under section 42 of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity and to provide credit facilities to local maritime operators.
The NIMASA, assured of its commitment “to transparency, accountability, and the advancement of Nigeria’s maritime sector.”
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo appears eager to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.
This is discernible from the frenzy of activities being witnessed in his first few days on the job, including dissolution of boards, constitution of investigative panels, flagging off of infrastructure projects, among others.
In the bid to address the perennial road traffic congestion negatively impacting economic and social activities in Benin City, the state capital, Gov Okpebholo on Wednesday flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge.
Biztellers reports that the flyover bridge around the popular Ramat Park in the city centre is the first of such in the history of Edo State.
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The Edo State Government made the disclosure in its verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday.
It wrote, “Traffic decongestion: Gov Okpebholo flags off first flyover in Edo.
“Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo has flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Benin City, the State Capital, as part of immediate efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.”
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