The National President, Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Engr. Matthew Alalade has cautioned against hasty assessment of the performance of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) recently flagged off in Nigeria by the Federal government through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Alalade who was speaking in an exclusive interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos advised the that government should be given a chance to execute the convention adding that the government should be commended for toeing such a path of honour.
He disclosed that while many other African Countries were yet to ratify the convention in their various countries, the Nigerian government had not only ratified the convention but had also gone ahead to enforce the convention in the country describing it as a sign of seriousness on the part of the government.
“I think the government is trying. For them to ratify the convention and put it into operation when many other countries have not yet ratified it in Africa, this is sending a good signal that this government in its transformation agenda is very serious by listening to the plights of the seafarers”.
“Many Countries in Africa, they have not ratified the convention. I think this government is trying to do something. But for me, it is too early for us to assess the impact. Let us wait until it is three months but I believe it will be successful since the government had taken that bold step towards the concern for the seafarers”.
Engr. Alalade while expressing the optimism that better days were ahead for the nation’s seafarers however hinted that they were watching and that should the government begin to thread in the wrong direction, they would not hesitate to get the government to comply to the provisions of the convention.
He said, ” better days are ahead for the seafarers in the country. Like I said, if we see any maladministration or anything that we are not comfortable with as seafarers or shipowners, then we as the watchdog, we kick and let them know this is where you are getting it wrong.
It will be recalled that Nigeria ratified the MLC 2006 last year and began the enforcement of the convention which guarantees better working condition for seafarers, watch-keepers and manning agents on July 1, this year.
On the apprehension in some quarters that with the establishment of more maritime training institutions by NIMASA, that there would be a shortfall in the statutory allocation to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron by NIMASA, Engr. Alalade dismissed such apprehension describing it as uncalled for.
According to him,” I don’t think it will affect the institution’s funding because you know that the maritime industry is expanding, maritime institutions are expanding too, so it cannot be limited to one institution alone”.
The Merchant Navy Officers boss believed that the federal government could fund up to ten maritime institutions without any of them being affected in as much as they were gradually established and funded.
Recall that NIMASA is funding MAN Oron with a 5 percent statutory allocation to the institution from the total revenue it generates annually. There was a growing concern that with the establishment of the NIMASA Science and Technical College and recently the Nigerian Maritime university by NIMASA, MAN Oron’s statutory allocation from the agency would be jeopardized as the fund might be shared amongst the three institutions, a situation Alalade dismissed as a non issue.
