After many years of ‘horse trading’, the all-important Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, a creation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) comes into effect today(August 20, 2013) worldwide.
Popularly known as the ‘Seafarers Bill of Right’, the ILO will today mark the coming into force of the Convention with a panel discussion bringing together high-level representatives of seafarers, shipowners, port authorities and the ILO. The event holds at the Singapore harbour.
After many years of ‘horse trading’, the all-important Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, a creation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) comes into effect today(August 20, 2013) worldwide.
Popularly known as the ‘Seafarers Bill of Right’, the ILO will today mark the coming into force of the Convention with a panel discussion bringing together high-level representatives of seafarers, shipowners, port authorities and the ILO. The event holds at the Singapore harbour.
It is gratifying that Nigeria has already joined the elite list of 47 countries that have ratified the convention. In fact Nigeria submitted her instrument of ratification at a brief ceremony at the ILO Office in United Nations office in Geneva in June.
But, by its own agreement and in line with ILO practice, conventions usually become binding under international law 12 months after countries register ratifications.
This means that the MLC 2006 will become binding on Nigeria by June 18, 2014. It also means that Nigerian maritime labour can not take advantage of the convention until then.
But more importantly, the convention can not be effective until it is domesticated by the National Assembly
The comprehensive convention sets out the seafarers' rights to decent conditions of work on almost every aspect of their working and living conditions including; among others, minimum age, employment agreements, hours of work or rest, payment of wages, paid annual leave, repatriation at the end of contract, onboard medical care, the use of licensed private recruitment and placement services, accommodation, food and catering, health and safety protection and accident prevention and seafarers’ complaint handling.
The obvious advantages that are inherent in the MLC 2006 underscore the need for all stakeholders to rally round the NIMASA to get the National Assembly to do the needful.
As is it’s typical of Nigerians, nothing is probably being done after the ceremony in Geneva where at least two members of the National Assembly, including the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on Treaties assured that the legislature will accelerate the process of domesticating the MLC 2006.
As we begin the countdown to June 18, 2014 when the convention is expected to kick-off in Nigeria, stakeholders in the MLC 2006 struggle, including: NIMASA, the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, shipowners and others should make the legislature to be accountable to us all.
The convention must be domesticated before the June 2014 take off in Nigeria. To get this done is a task that must be accomplished!
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