By Godfrey Bivbere & Vivian Nwaogu

Stakeholders in the maritime sector have accused the Federal Government of neglect of shipping sub-sector of the industry resulting in the domination of the seafaring business by foreigners.

Speaking at a one day seminar organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) to mark the World’s Seafarers’ Day in Lagos, stakeholders also disclosed that the lack of data in the sector makes it impossible to know the exact number of seafarers in the country.

A master mariner and Managing Director in charge of port operations for Dangote Port, Capt Joshua Oyewunmi, lamented the ugly condition of Nigerian seamen despite their contribution to the country’s economy. Oyewunmi said in the sixties, data on seafarers were intact but not any more. He explained that it is a shame that there are no data on Nigerian seafarers.

According to him, “Government has failed woefully because it does not treat seafarers well and this is extended to authorities of other countries who treat Nigerian seafarers as nobody. We pay more on vessel charges but even after that, we are treated as nobody because that is how our government treats us. It was government that wrecked the Nigeria National Shipping Line. It is sad that even up till now there are no vessels to train seafarers.

”The seamen are looked down upon as just drunkards but we know that we move this economy,” Oyewunmi said.

Blaming the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA for the woes of indigenous shipping industry, having failed to enforce the Cabotage Act, the seafarers passionately appealed to the agency to do its works well.

They called on NIMASA to rise up to the occasion and purge the nation’s waters of seafarers from Ghana, Philippines and many other nationals who currently have flooded the country’s coasts and taking away jobs from Nigerians.

Defunct NNSL’s captain and consultant to International Maritime Organisation IMO, Capt Biodun Omoteso, who was Guest Speaker at the forum, decried the poor welfare of indigenous seamen, adding however that the job must be there in order to talk of welfare.

In his words, “The Cabotage Act is a beautiful Act that says every vessel must be pulled by Nigerians, but a waiver clause that enables them to hire expatriate was introduced and the Cabotage went sick. Today it is waiver upon waiver and the Nigerian seafarers lost all opportunities to get job,” Omoteso said.

Earlier in his welcome address, MARAN President, Mr. Bolaji Akinola said the occasion is set aside by the IMO in recognition of the 1.2 million seafarers worldwide.

He noted that despite the fact that the nation’s fortunes are  tied to the sea, with over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s income generated from oil export by sea, Nigerian government has shown no regard for seafarers.

”The country is also dependent on imports which come through the sea by effort of seamen. The simple fact that government does not have data on seafarers is the beginning of our woes and an indictment on our maritime safety administration.

“It is high time that the government woke up to its responsibility and ensures that Nigerian ships have jobs to do in the nation’s waters,” he said.