Union Accuses Nigerian Ship Owners Of Flouting MLC 2006      

The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has accused ship owners in Nigeria for allegedly flouting the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006. 
The seafarers union also alleged that 80% of the manning agents in Nigeria have failed to comply with the convention yet check off dues are deducted from members without remittance to the appropriate channel. 
The union has however threatened to petition the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the non-compliance by the employers  as enshrined in tripartite arrangement. 
Manning agents are companies that employ seafarers aboard ships on behalf of the ship owners. 
Speaking on the issue, National President of the association; Engineer Matthew Alalade expressed disappointment in the attitude of ship owners in Nigeria for flouting the convention, saying that the ship owners are not serious about the MLC 2006. 
Alalade revealed that, at National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) meeting held in Lagos last week which was critical on the tripartite arrangement, none of the ship owners or manning agents was present, as situation which he described as slap on the face of the seafarers and the regulatory agency. 
Even though, he declined to give details of the manning agents involved, the union President lamented that most manning agents in Nigeria were in default of the convention. 
Alalade stated that "only few manning agents are taking the MLC 2006 serious and the tripartite agreement involves the regulatory agency which is NIMASA, the union on behalf of the workers and the manning agents, representing the companies"
"We have seafarers who are our members on board some ship owners fleet,  yet the right thing is not done".
The union leader however lauded companies like LAMNALCO,GAC and Bourbon for their compliance with  the MLC 2006, saying that the union was delighted about the  exemplary display of  professionalism in their  operations. 
He also accused leaders of the various ship owners’ associations of complicity in the implementation of MLC 2006, alleging that members of NISA  and SOAN were all flouting the convention and  urging the NIMASA to investigate their activities. 
He said the NJIC which is supposed to bring all parties involved in the agreement together to discuss wages and other remuneration of seafarers has not recorded any result, owing to the attitude of ship owners. 
However, when contacted by our correspondent, President Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Engineer Greg Ogbeifun said that the association has been complying with the MLC 2006. 
Ogbeifun stated that as an employer of labour, there are evidences to show that his organisation was in compliance of the convention. 
He however expressed his apologies on behalf of the association for failing to attend the NJIC meeting. 
The SOAN frontman appealed to the union and regulatory agencies for its absence during the NJIC, saying that SOAN delegation  had flight issues. 
The President of SOAN disclosed that an official statement would be released soon by the association explaining why it could not make the NJIC meeting. 
He added that SOAN has been in the vanguard of ensuring that terms and condition of seafarers engagement were met, pointing out that the association cannot flout laws that affects its operations.