By Joshua Yousouph
Aggrieved seafarers who worked with the liquidated Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) have alleged that the Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have refused to pay their benefits about 27 years after the national carrier was liquidated by the Federal Government.
Recall that the NNSL which was established by the Nigerian government in 1959; was liquidated in 1995 and all 21 of its vessels were sold.
The seafarers who spoke with our correspondent disclosed that the affected seafarers have lost about 500 0f their colleagues.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily last week, one of the affected seafarers who identified himself as Mr Oluwasina Otutu, said having worked for NNSL for about 15 years, he is yet to get his entitlements from the Federal government. He lamented that many of the abandoned seafarers are going through hardship and can no longer fend for themselves and their families.
Otutu noted that they have protested to the Ministry of Transportation and NIMASA on several occasions. However, they have just been tossed to and fro with futile promises. He said in 2012, the seafarers were invited for a screening and verification exercise for the processing of their entitlements, but unfortunately, they have not received anything from the Federal Government.
Otutu said the unpaid seafarers are over 2000 and that the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) under the leadership of Comrade Adewale Adeyanju has decided to take on the fight in other to ensure that all the affected seafarers were paid.
He explained that: “I have worked all my life in the NNSL for not less than 14 to 15 years. We have been on this matter for so long; for more than 27 to 28 years. Most of our colleagues have died and some are bedridden at home. It is my friends that are helping me. My wife tried a bit, but we are now divorced. She took good care of my four children, if not they would have been a nuisance in the society.
“We have protested in Abuja ON about two to three occasions. At the last one, we went to the Ministry of Transportation and we had a meeting with the Permanent Secretary. He said we should hold on as our file goes to the Attorney General of the Federation and whatever they decide, the ministry will do. After four months, the file came back to the ministry ordering them to pay us our entitlements. The then Director of Marine wrote a congratulatory letter to us, stating that they have accepted and they are about to pay. Unfortunately, up till now, we have not seen the payment”, he lamented.
“NIMASA did not want to attend to us. We protested to NIMASA late last year and NIMASA said the matter is with the Ministry of Transportation. They resorted that whatever the Ministry of Transport decides is what they will do to us. Unfortunately till date, they haven’t come up with anything.
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“In 2012, we were verified and till now we still haven’t seen anything. They know this is our right, but they have decided to step on it, because we don’t have anyone to fight for us. The President-General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adeyanju Adewale is on the matter now to ensure we get all our entitlements. We are appealing to the federal government to come and give us our entitlements so that we can have something to do”.
Another unpaid seafarer, Francis Adio said since the demise of NNSL, some of their colleagues cannot afford a square meal, pay their rents or even afford medical bills. He said he was lucky to be assisted by the Catholic Missionary who employed him as a cook which has provided him with a source of livelihood.
“I regretted joining the Nigerian National Shipping Line. Nigerian seafarers have suffered for over 30 years just to get their pension and gratuity. Some stay under bridges, crying and dying. Some of our colleagues here are just next of kin. They are not the original beneficiary. Their next of kin cannot take care of their children; pay their school fees, house rents, medical bills, or even a square meal. The government and leaders are not doing anything. They have no regard for Nigerian seafarers”, he said.
A next of kin of one of the beneficiaries, who identified himself as Dosu Jacob told Shipping Position Daily that his father fainted thrice in 2012, during the verification exercise which led to his death that same day.
Also speaking, another ex-staff of NNSL; Victor Riman disclosed that he lost his wife on October 31, 2010, due to a lack of funds to buy medications. Another one, David Otti also said he lost his daughter in 2005 due to hardship.
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