By Victor AhiumaYoung

The Federal Government and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, will Friday begin the verification of the disengaged seafarers of the Nigerian National Shipping Line, NNSL, after 28-years of liquidation over their unpaid benefits.

The verification which will kick start in Lagos will also involve the nexts-of-kin and other legal beneficiaries of the former staff of the defunct national carrier, is coming after years of unrelenting battles by the Union for the payment.

President-General MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju who gave the hint to Vanguard, lamented that while some of the affected workers have died, those that are alive are next to destitute, talk less of the beneficiaries and nexts of kin of the deceased disengaged seafarers.

According to him, “Finally, we will begin the verification of the disengaged seafarers on April 19, 2024. The verification will involve those still living, or their nexts of kin or the legal beneficiaries of those that are dead.

“The exercise will commence in Lagos on the 19 of this month which is on a Friday before spreading to other port formations across the country. They are many and it may take a while to be completed. But we are ready for the exercise. We want to put this protracted issue behind us.

Recall that while speaking at the Commissioning of the Mission to Seafarers Centre in Apapa Lagos, with the Minister in attendance, Adeyanju said the union would be visiting the Minister in Abuja to discuss major challenges confronting the blue economy sector including the matter concerning the disengaged seafarers .

He assured that the union was ready to collaborate with the Minister to ensure that the rights and privileges of the seafarers that had been denied for the past 28-years are given to them.

Adeyanju said “Seafarers who have contributed immensely to the growth of the maritime industry in Nigeria are yet to be paid their entitlements for 28-years, despite the fact that there was a court judgement to that event.

“We are urging the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to look into the matter and ensure that during his own tenure that the rights of the Workers are released to them.

“Already, our letter is before his table, that he should look into this matter, we know where he is coming from and his pedigree, he is a public servant who have contributed to the economy of Osun State, being an accountant also, he should look inwards and ensure that these seafarers who have contributed to the service of the nation are given their rights.

“The Minister should know that we are coming to meet with him, the four arms of the union.

“Seafarers all over the world are like floating prisoners, they would be onboard at sea for more than one year, anything can happen, turbulent weather among others.

“Under the administration of the new Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, he should come up with the idea of having three to four vessels where we can refloat the shipping line, Nigeria is not too small to do  that, all stakeholders can contribute towards this project.

“This is imperative in order to ensure that the cadets that are being sent for training in India can have a job when they graduate.

“The former Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo had set up a committee involving two Ministries, the Transportation Ministry and Labour Ministry, a committee was set up to carryout physical verification of the aged seafarers, giving us hope.

“However, up till now, that Committee have not met. We are urging the Minister to direct the two permanent Secretaries in the two Ministry to make sure that the committee that was set up continue their job and do physical verification of all these aged seafarers and pay them what belongs to them. Now that they are trying to involve Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, among others should be involved and pay off the seafarers so that we can close down the matter, we have been on it for 28years.

“It would not be good that during the Minister’s tenure, the union would carry placards and start protesting, his government is new, he was just pronounced as the minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

“We want a new thing to come in, not an old wine in a new bottle, we don’t want this matter to stain his administration. Past ministers have come in but they did not do anything”

The MWUN President General noted that even though some of the affected seafarers are dead, majority of them are still alive.

According to him “They were still here three days ago, those that have died have their next of kin, we have the books, we are still going to Calabar, Port Harcourt and Onne Port for more verification”