The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, has sacked the Chairman of the Shipping Zonal Council of the association; Comrade Ajao Lateef Sanmi and six members of the zone’s executives over sundry offences, which the national body considers as anti-association.
Among other offences, the sacked officers were said to be giving support to the controversial Maritime Security Agency (MASECA) Bill.
The Bill, which was withdrawn from the National Assembly by former President Goodluck Jonathan, to pave way for a stronger Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has been rumoured to be making a strong comeback at the National Assembly.
But, at a press briefing yesterday at its head office in Lagos, President of Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association; Engineer Alalade Matthew, said that decision to expel the chairman and the executives of the zone was taken during an emergency meeting of its Central Working Committee during the seafarers day which held last week in Onne, Rivers state.
Sacked along with Comrade Sanmi are: Olusegun Oniye, Samson Iworiwengima, Pius Adams, Chinyere Tucker, Evelyn Johnson and Folorunsho Akingunola.
According to Alalade, the sacked executives had previously been warned about their activities and they had apologized. He however lamented that, they have reneged on the terms.
According to him, in the letter of apology Comrade Ajao Lateef Sanni, apologized for all the offences committed by the zonal executives. He also reportedly promised that the MASECA Bill would no longer enjoy the backing of the Shipping Zonal Council.
In the letter, he was said to have also promised never to undermine the National Executive Officers of the association, not to sideline the association and to also recognize the supremacy of the National officers above all interest.
The sacked chairman was alleged also to be militarizing the zone by indiscriminately conferring on members of the zone positions and ranks that are not in conformity with the Certificates of Competency (CoC) they claim to possess.
He explained that the emergency meeting which held last week in Onne was called sequel to the inability of the executives of the Shipping Zonal Council to keep to the pledge made in their letter of apology dated 8th April 2017.
According to Engr Alalade, the sacked chairman (Com Ajao) is operating the zone as a personal estate and a parallel organization.
Apparently reading from the sack letter, he said: "It is absolutely clear that you operate the zone as a personal estate, and a parallel organization. You have also decided to militarize the zone by indiscriminately conferring on your members, positions and rank not in conformity with the Certificates of Competency (CoC) they claim to possess. The shipping zone council is found to be mostly composed of non-certificated persons which are ultra vires to the association's constitution", he said
Speaking further, he also accused Com Ajao's administration of exploiting innocent Nigerian. “They are also exploiting innocent Nigerians by hoodwinking, promising employment and issuing fake Nigerian Merchant Navy identity cards to them. There are also extortion of fat sums of money, with the name of the association” he concluded.
The sacked executives were also sighted by our correspondents at the association’s head office yesterday.
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