Recently, the Federal Ministry of Interior introduced some new seaports immigration mandates, but these measures are being kicked against by some stakeholders who described it as violating the international immigration Manuals and Act.
The ministry had about two weeks ago introduced what it called new immigration issues/mandates.
The mandates had to do with ship crew contract papers, manning of vessels, number of officials to board ships, immigration, endorsement papers, souvenirs and on-board endorsements.
Recently, the Federal Ministry of Interior introduced some new seaports immigration mandates, but these measures are being kicked against by some stakeholders who described it as violating the international immigration Manuals and Act.
The ministry had about two weeks ago introduced what it called new immigration issues/mandates.
The mandates had to do with ship crew contract papers, manning of vessels, number of officials to board ships, immigration, endorsement papers, souvenirs and on-board endorsements.
A source in the ministry said that a lot of questions were being raised in several quarters over several areas of the new mandates.
The source explained that by not scrutinising the contract papers of crew members violated the maritime immigration law which stipulated that any crew member embarking on a vessel must have a valid contract paper with a valid destination.
According to him, a crew member with either no genuine contract paper or mutilated contract paper is not permitted to be on board, adding that if he does, he would pay a penalty of US$2,000
The source also explained that only owners of vessels had the right to re-designate crew members. \
Another area of controversy is the new mandate abolishing the issuance of transit visa to crew members flying out.
The source pointed out that immigration laws say that passengers (not crew) must have visas, adding that contrary to the international immigration rules, the new mandate said passengers with no visa must be issued shore pass by immigration service.
According to him, this does not happen anywhere in the world. The new mandates from the interior ministry among others, said: “ the insistence of immigration officers to demand and scrutinize crew contract papers even when all details on seaman’s books reflect validity needs to be re-examined and reviewed to conform with general international practice.’’
The mandate also said immigration officers had no right to interfere or regulate manning on board vessels. It said: “immigration need not question why you have any number of a class of crew on board.’’
The mandate further said immigration officials should recognise the subject authority of captains and discontinue questioning change of status of deserving crew members by captains through promotions while at sea.
The new mandate also said immigration endorsement of passports for passengers and ship’s crew disembarking to fly to their home countries should be at no cost to shipping line or the passenger/crew.
The mandate stopped the practice of taking crew members’ passports to immigration headquarters for endorsement, saying this was time wasting and could delay vessel sailings.
It directed that such endorsements should be undertaken on board vessels, which the source at the port claimed was also a violation of what used to be done before now.
The mandate also said not more than four immigration officers should be on board a ship.
The source, however, agreed with some sections of the new mandate which told immigration officers to always guard against repulsive attitude toward ship captains and their crew.
He lauded a section of the mandates which advised them to always be in their uniforms when boarding vessels to earn respect and better recognition.
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