An American trained maritime security specialist and anti-piracy security service personnel, Capt Alfred Oluwasegun Oniye has urged the federal government to put an end to the exploitation of Nigeria seafarers, even as he raised alarm that more than 70 percent of Nigerian seafarers are jobless due to foreign domination.
Speaking recently with Shipping Position Daily correspondent, the security expert lamented that only few Nigerian seafarers are allowed to operate in Nigerian waters, all in the name of Cabotage waiver that has given foreign seafarers upper hand in the country than indigenes.
He lamented that many of the foreign Seafarers have raked in several millions of naira into their pockets while the Nigerians seafarers are left impoverished.
According to him " Nigeria is a country that is richly endowed with a lot of maritime potentials yet our seafarers are suffering”
"We need the Nigerian government to give attention to seafarers that are suffering, seafarers need to be taken care of.
"Over 70 percent of seafarers are jobless and nobody is giving attention to them, imagine foreigners have taken over our jobs, we have over 70 percent of foreigners operating on Nigerian waters in the name of Cabotage waiver and we have some of them who have already spent more than 20 years on Nigerian waters making money that they cannot make in their own country, here in Nigeria.
Speaking on insecurity on Nigerian waters, the maritime security expert maintained that lack of employment for seafarers has increased the level of insecurity in the Nigeria maritime domain.
He told our correspondent: "Quote me anywhere, every trained seafarer is a potential sea pirates, because it takes a professional to carry out such criminal activities, when you train people and you don’t give them jobs, what do you expect? Seafarers are not happy and we need attention to be given to them”
"And that is why we set up our association to ensure that attention is given to them, if Nigeria maritime industry want to survive, attention needs to be given to the seafarers because they control over 90 percent of our economy
"And there is need for the different maritime agencies to see to how we can make this work for the betterment of the industry", he challenged.
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