The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has advised the Federal Government to engage private or foreign investors as a way of revamping the national carrier.
The National President of NMNOWTSSA, Bob Yousou, who disclosed this to Financial Street on Wednesday in Lagos, explained that the move will bridge the yawning gap of manpower development amid economic gains.
Yousou also assured members of the seafaring union of constructive engagement and interaction with government agencies over challenges confronting the shipping industry and workers welfare.
He reiterated that the shipping industry can only thrive when the government allows foreigners or private sector-driven players to have a major stake in shipping operations in the country.
According to him, the shipping department of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas shipping thrives due to the existing synergy with foreign investors.
He said that government’s investment in the shipping sub sector will address the challenge of seafarers’ unemployment in Nigeria, adding that a revamp of the national carrier will provide further sea time for cadets of the various maritime academies in the country.
Yousou, a marine engineer, pointed out that any national fleet to be managed by any ministry, department or parastatal will not last, because we lack maintenance culture.
“If we can partner foreigners, then we are in for business because we will consider profit and we will look at the administrative aspect of shipping.
“No matter how many the number of vessels we have, if we fail to engage the services of foreigners with interest in shipping, the vessels will definitely go aground again,” he warned.
The association boss urged the government to enter into more bilateral agreement with shipping industries worldwide as it will help bridge the gap of unemployment of seafarers.
His words, “And when they come, government should compel them to employ our seafarers as part of the local content law and cabotage act respectively.
“The Federal Government, through the Minister of Transportation and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, can make it work because our institutions are gradually competing now.
“Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State and others, need training vessels but with the national carrier it will help to address issues of training.”
Speaking on the forthcoming World Seafarers Day celebration, he called on governments globally to x-ray the importance of seafarers with a mind of reviewing the poor remuneration to them.
Yousou pointed out that the welfare package for seafarers in Nigeria has not been encouraging over the years, saying this is one of the issues to be addressed in the forthcoming event.
The union also fixed June 24 for the maiden colloquium where critical players in the sub sector would proffer solution to the multiple challenges affecting Nigerian sailors.
