Chaplain of the Mission To Seafarers in Apapa Lagos, Rev Canon Bimbo Aduroja has appealed to maritime industry stakeholders and government agencies, especially, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on the need to develop the abandoned Seafarers Centre in Apapa.
Aduroja stated this last week during the 2018 Sea Sunday Service held at the St Andrews Anglican Church, GRA, Apapa Lagos.
The Chaplain told stakeholders gathered at the celebration that the centre is supposed to be a pride of seafarers and a home away from home where seafarers calling at Nigerian Port are supposed to relax, refresh themselves before sailing out of the country.
According to him, there are over 200 centres in over fifty countries of the world where the presence of the seafarers are felt.
However, Rev Aduroja who is also the Vicar of the St Andrews Anglican Church however lamented that the centre established within the church premises has since been abandoned.
He said that rather than come to the seafarers centre in Apapa, Hotels now take advantage of the seafarers by going directly to the port to pick them up to brothels and other places.
Most times, he said the hotels take advantage of the seafarers and that they are sometimes robbed of their money and valuables.
"This centre and the 'Mission to Seafarers' as a whole is a non-profit making organization, so we expect government agencies especially to come to our aid and support us in developing the centre because if this place is developed, it would redeem our image, even to the entire world"
"In other parts of the world, this is not the kind of center they meet, so whenever they come into Nigeria and they don't have a center to relax and enjoy themselves, they will go back with a different impression of the whole country"
"Nigeria is capable and has what it takes to upgrade the centre, the government agencies have provision for social responsibilities in their budget"
"We have been reaching out to shipping companies, other stakeholders, more especially, NPA and NIMASA. In terms of donation we have not received anything, they are making promises but none have responded"
"When we go on ship visits we ask them if they want to get anything, and we bring them here, anything the seafarers need must be provided for them here, including bureau-de-change. We take them back to the vessel free of charge, what we sell here is expected to be cheaper than what they get outside, that's how it's done worldwide"
The Chaplain however said that "The people going from hotel to pick them up onboard vessels usually collect transportation, they even rob them of their belongings and cash, they take them to brothels, at the end of the day, the seafarers come back complaining"
"We now have the challenge of, if you go on ship visit now, we don't have a center we can bring them to and this is what forces them to these hotels"
He said the Sea Sunday is celebrated every second Sunday in July, where the Anglican Church gather to conduct a service to remember the efforts and appreciate the seafarers who spent a greater part of their lives on sea in order to bring goods and services that we depend upon.
He said that seafarers are mostly left unattended to and uncared for, this is why the mission was established in 1886 by an Anglican Church Priest called Rev John Hashley.
Some of the functions of the Mission To Seafarers Aduroja highlighted by the Chaplain in his sermon includes; providing professional support services and ship visiting to seafarers of all ranks, nationality and religion, attending to their spiritual and emotional needs.
Others are, visiting hospitals and prisons in Nigeria where seafarers are being held for various offenses.
Also speaking with our correspondent at the event, Director of the Merchant Navy Directorate, Rear Admiral Goodwill Umbo called on NIMASA and NPA to come together and develop the dilapidated seafarers centre, saying that failure to do so, Nigeria would continually be a laughing stuck to the world.
"My expectation is that this country should begin to know and appreciate the role of seafarers in this country, without seafarers, the merchant navy would not exist and cannot grow, without seafarers there is no merchant Navy, and they are the ones that make things work, they bring the cargo and the commerce to us"
"The seafarers missing is the first port of call when they enter into any nation, and if as a country we cannot fix the centre, we would be a laughing stuck"
"On behalf of the government, it is NIMASA responsibility, they have the responsibility for seafarers development"
Umbo charged Nigerian seafarers to come together and rebirth the Nigerian merchant Navy, saying that this is the only time they can have a voice to talk to government.
Discussion about this post