Shipping lines relegate Nigerian seafarers with poor wages

Shipping lines relegate Nigerian seafarers with poor wages
Bayo Akomolafe July 17, 2023 https://newtelegraphng.com/shipping-lines-relegate-nigerian-seafarers-wi...

The depreciating Certificate of Competence (CoC) issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NI- MASA) has led to payment of poor wages, job losses and relegation by shipping lines. Also, it was learnt that payment of wages are deliberately delayed by shipping companies which still man- age to retain their services. It was gathered that some shipping companies were re- luctant to pay the 2023 salary scales approved by the Inter- national Labour Organisation (ILO) and International Transport Federation (ITF) to the affected seamen as Nigerian seafarers’ salaries are not commensurate when compared to their foreign counterparts with same certificates in the same vessels.

Findings also revealed that steward working onboard the ship is earning more than a Nigerian captain hired by shipping companies as ILO minimum monthly wages for steward and cook is $985, while master earns $3,894 (N2.9 million) per month. However, Nigerian ship master working in the same vessel is earning low wages as they collect their salaries in local currency, ranging be- tween N500,000 and N600,000 per month, whereas, a stew- ard earns N738,750 ($985) per month. It was learnt that seafaring countries like Philip- pine and Netherlands have obtained approvals from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to expunge the ‘Near Coastal Voyage’ restrictions on the certification of seafarers. However, Nigeria has refused to expunge the clauses in the IMO’s Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), which confines her seafarers to the nation’s shores with limited CoC. Besides, the agency has not market Nigerian CoCs to the global shipping community to show that seafarers with the certificates underwent training in tandem with global best practices. Worried by this, the Nige- ria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NM- NOWTSSA) said that the non acceptability of interim certificates issued by the agency to Nigerian seafarers had de- nied them of the opportunity of working with good pay in the nation’s territorial waters.

The National President of the association, Comrade Bob Yousou, who frown at the CoC issued by the agency, reiterated that one of the challenges currently faced by seafarers in the country was the delay in the signing of the CoC by NIMASA, despite the neglect by operators, stressing that this singular act had resulted to massive job losses. Yousou urged the agency at the 3rd seafarers forum in Lagos that it should make adjustments toward accelerated process of issuance of certificates. He said: “Some shipping companies pay Nigeria seafarers non commensurate wages compared to their foreign counterpart with the same CoC and perform same duties. The the gap is too wide to image .

“We appeal to shipping companies and NIMASA as the regulatory agency to ensure Nigeria Seafarers’are paid as of when due, pointing out that. It would be recalled that the Maritme Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) had also frowned over continued denial of Nigeria’s CoC by some flags. The union urged the Federal Government to put machinery on ground to strengthen the country’s maritime train- ing institution to bring them to par with global standards. The President General of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said that the relevant maritime agencies must gear up efforts at making the Nigeria’s flag a global acceptance. He called on the Federal Government to put machinery in place to strengthen the nation’s training institutions to make them at par with global standard demands. He said: “We find it expedient at this time to announce our worry at the continued denial of our certificate of competency by certain flag states which limits the ap- plication of our seafaring competency in other clime; we therefore posit that government and its responsible agency pull up to gear up our acceptance in the global space. “We seize this opportu- nity to call on government to put machinery on ground to strengthen our maritime training institution to bring them to par with global stan- dards. “All is not rosy yet as we continue to face obstacles which threaten to impair the seafarers’ capacity.