Following the recent submission of the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) by delegates of Nigerian government, the Nigerian seafarers have said they would not hesitate to petition ILO, the apex regulatory body should the nation's implementing body, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) fail to effectively implement every bid of the convention.
Following the recent submission of the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) by delegates of Nigerian government, the Nigerian seafarers have said they would not hesitate to petition ILO, the apex regulatory body should the nation's implementing body, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) fail to effectively implement every bid of the convention.
The MLC 2006 is a compilation of all conventions that looks after the professional rights and welfare of seafarers all over the world, of which Nigeria recently joined 38 other maritime nations in Geneva, Switzerland to submit its instrument of ratification.
Speaking as a guest in a weekly maritime radio programme; Port Bizness in Lagos last week, the former President, Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Capt. Adewale Ishola who spoke on the topic, "Nigerian Seafarers' Rights and Welfare: Any Hopes in the Ratified MLC 2006?", admitted the convention would improve the lots of Nigerian seafarers in terms of welfare and protection of their rights.
He stated that the Bill of Rights also known as the four pillars of shipping which is also entrenched in the ratified convention provides the fundamental rights and welfare of seafarers to include: job security; conducive hours of work and rest; standard accommodation; recreational facilities, adequate medical and health care services; shore leave as well as good remuneration.
Responding to questions from callers on how to ensure effective implementation of the convention when domesticated, Ishola said:
"From what I know, NIMASA suppose to be giving report either quarterly or frequently on what it has achieved in monitoring the implementation of this law. So there is a law empowering NIMASA to also report to ILO in Geneva on how they implementing the law.
"This means that the burden is now put on NIMASA to ensure that it enforces the law appropriately. And if it doesn't do it, we seafarers, we also have a channel to complain. We can also write directly to Geneva (ILO) informing them that our rights are being trampled upon and NIMASA is not doing anything".
Responding also to the recent revelation made by the Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development of NIMASA, Capt. Ezekiel Bala Agaba who said the agency identified over 1200 seafarers with fake certificate; the master mariner confirmed the report, but blamed the situation on local and foreign ship owners saying: "Yes! I was at the forum in Kirikiri when Capt Bala gave that worrisome report that day. Indeed, it is unfortunate that people because they believe there is a lot of employment opportunities at the maritime side; they have resorted to self help of bringing fake certificate in order to get the jobs at all cost.
"Also, the ship owners-local and foreigners equally have a blame on their part. They don't verify the authenticity of the certificate of seafarers crewed to them. NIMASA has given them the opportunity to revert by sending via email the names of the people they are engaging so that within 24 hours, it can confirm the names with the names in the original certificate it has in its data bank.
"And again, some ship owners because they are not ready to pay standard salary; so any body that comes around, they just take the person on board. And this encourages them to be bringing this fake certificate. We have told the ED to publish the names of those involved so as to serve as a deterrent to others", Ishola disclosed.
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