In this interview, President of Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association; Engineer Matthew Alalade talked about the alarming rate of piracy on Nigerian waters. He also told our correspondent; Roland Ekama about his agenda for his second term in office, the Maritime Labour convention (MLC), 2006 and other sundry issues.
‘’I will appeal to the government to encourage indigenous operators to acquire ships so that there will jobs’’.
What is the current working condition of seafarers in Nigeria and what do you intend to do to improve on it?
I think this time around we expect to see harmonisation and synergy between seafarers, ship owners and I will appeal to the government to encourage indigenous operators to acquire ships so that there will jobs. d government agencies in line with Maritime Labour Convention which is basically what we want to stress on, this time around. The welfare of seafarers in Nigeria will take a new dimension; by way improvement because most of our members have suffered negligence in the hands of their employers, due to the fact that there are no proper structures in place in line with the labour convention. Before now they don’t sign any agreement with their employers before going on-board, but this time around we don’t want it that way again. Apart from that we don’t know whose fault it is whether is from the ship owners or NIMASA that has not made the process to be formalised. Our members are beginning to come out of their shell, saying that they have not been paid for some couple of months and some have been coming to report their cases to us. Some claim ignorant about the situation and I think it’s not proper for a seafarer to claim ignorant of MLC 2006, but in our own little way we will still try to sensitive them and those that are able to approach us, we let them to know their right through sensitisation programme. We will also want the government to assist us in the area of enlightenment programme.
You were re-elected into office some months back, what will be your agenda for your second term?
This time around, I will appeal to the government to encourage indigenous operators to acquire ships so that there will jobs. With acquisition of ships, there will be training for the youths who just left maritime institutions and if ships are acquired in the form of national fleet; we can handle most of our cargoes currently being taken by other nationals. There can also be an agreement between other nationals and Nigerians as regards the tonnage, because a large percentage of the tonnage is taken by the foreigners. Now that Nigeria is diversifying into areas like agro – allied products, we shall be having some products that we will able to export to other countries and it will be better done by our indigenous operators, thus there is need for national fleet. Secondly, Nigeria is off centre therefore we shall be clamouring for fleet by the federal government in order for our members to be engaged, trained and as the pride of the nation we must have a national fleet. This is what our focal point will be in ensuring that the government listens to our cry because it will bring good omen for the country.
It appears that there has been an increase in piracy attack on our waters, what is your view about that?
My reaction to the issues of sudden rise in sea robbery and attacks on vessels is that government must address the problems from ashore. What I mean is that the people at ashore should be empowered by the government by way of job creation. The sudden rise in attacks on ships is basically a social economic problem and it is linked to some level of political undertone; therefore, government needs to create jobs for the youths ashore. The attacks are orchestrated from ashore, the pirates live ashore before making efforts to strike at sea; they might have organised themselves from ashore to offshore. The recent downsize and retrenchment embarked upon by multinationals is another cause of the surge in pirate attacks because those that are sacked in process may decide to earn a living in sea piracy. So the government must try to address issue of unemployment in the country. The new government in place should sit up and create employment which I believe will address issue of sea piracy on our waters. The Buhari government needs to be proactive to ensure that sea robbery is reduced; otherwise the trend will increase
How many of your members have so far been abducted by sea robbers?
The truth is that we have data of our registered members and also, those who yet to register and they are seafarers are still regarded as our members, because whenever they have issues with their employers they run to us and we also respond to their yearnings based on the fact we are the eyes of ILO and IMO in Nigeria. However we cannot give the actual number of those that have been abducted, kidnapped or attacked, but we know the number is increasing by the day. It is obvious that for the past six months, there has been increase of pirate attacks on our waters, but compared to when we compare the period in question, you will agree with me that there has been a sharp increased.
Would you attribute the increase of attack on vessels by sea robbers to the Global West Vessel Specialist Limited contract that was terminated by government?
Literally, when the government through NIMASA contracted Global West to police our waters for the past years, there had been some level of sanity but when the government again decided to close its eyes against them, attacks on ships started coming up again. The issue of no job for the boys led to the increase of attacks on ships and that is why government needs to empower those people living ashore. It goes beyond the termination of the contract between Global West and NIMASA. I am not saying that Global West is responsible for the surge in piracy, but we are Nigerians and it is not fair to rob Peter to pay Paul. Now that the contract has been terminated, who is going to police our water? We have IMO policies on security and now that the government has eventually disbanded the contract who should police our waters. The navy is there no doubt, but government has forgotten that the blue navy has an agreement with NIMASA but they can’t just do it alone because it is the platforms that were provided by Global West that made it possible for them to record some level of success. However we cannot stop to advice the government that Coast Guard is necessary and I want the government to look inward as regards creation of Coast Guard which will be responsible for policing our waters. There are Coast Guards all over the world and they are doing tremendous jobs for their respective countries. It is high time we had Coast Guard in place, so that they can stem the tide of piracy and armed robbery at sea because these guys understand the creeks and knowing fully well that attack on ships by pirates starts ashore. There is no way we can use war ships to police our waters.
Some of your members accused you that during your first term, you failed to live up to their expectations in so many ways
In governance there must be an appraisal by members and such is not really an issue because one must expect much. I believe it is ignorance on their part to say I have failed as a leader. There are laws that are laid down, for example the ILO convention which is a process that must be followed before you can achieve any level of success. The people saying all these are those who do not even come to the secretariat to find out what are the latest development about the union and the sector in particular. Some of the members who do not want to pay their dues are fond of such statement. Some of them are in the habit saying such. Apart from the issue of dues they don’t even come around to see things for themselves or ask questions. In our own way, we have been doing our best to make sure that we protect our members and even those that are not our members but are seafarers are also protected by the union. One major thing they cry about is that we don’t look for jobs on their behalf. Meanwhile it is not our duty to do such but again, whenever there are opportunities anywhere in the country, we take the advantage and get them the opportunity for job placement. The bottom line is that they are ignorant about what goes on in the association. The challenge we are faced with is that some of the seafarers go on board and work without agreement for the simple fact that they need a job and they don’t bother about the remuneration, so who is to blame. Sometimes we see all manner of persons claiming to be our members whereas they have nothing to prove that they are our members, but when they have issues with their employers they fall back to the union for help.
What is your view about remuneration package for seafarers and dockworkers in Nigeria?
It is easier for dockworkers to have an in-road to their employers and terminal operators, then make their demands, but for the seafarers we have numerous employers and it is easy for them to hide whenever there are issues with the seafarers. For dockworkers the union can halt operations at the ports because they know those that are responsible from berth 1 to 14. But in our own case, the workers report to us and we dialogue with the company in question.
In your own view, is MLC 2006 a success?
It is not a success yet. However, this question is not restricted to Nigeria alone because it a global thing. The MLC 2006 affects all the seafarers irrespective of race, tribe and nationality. Our members that are the seafarers don’t want to associate with the union and that is why they have such problems.
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