Despite its ratification and subsequent flag-off by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has raised alarm over NIMASA's inability to domesticate the all-important Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006)
The association says that without the domestication, the convention will not yield positive results and seafarers will continue to be at the losing end.
It also called on NIMASA to parley with the Federal Ministry of Labour on the need for MLC 2006 to be domesticated for the purpose of ensuring a better life for Nigerian seafarers.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, National President of the seafarers’ association; Engineer Mathew Alalade said that NIMASA has failed to ensure that the MLC 2006 is domesticated, adding that it is a serious problem for seafarers.
The merchant navy president noted that there is need for the agency in collaboration with the labour ministry to work towards domesticating the convention.
He said that the MLC 2006 needs to be domesticated in Nigeria. "We have not seen anything been done since the flag off last year of the MLC 2006 on the domestication and we are still in limbo waiting for the government to do something about it because it is important and dare to us", Alalade stated.
He also alleged that the MLC 2006 has been abandoned by NIMASA, even as he stressed that the convention, which is also called ‘The Seafarers Bill of Right’ is very important to Nigerian seafarers.
According to him, the association and other concerned stakeholders are worried about the situation. He also urged the agency to expedite action on domesticating the convention.
He added that the labour ministry has a crucial role to play for the MLC 2006 to be effective, pointing out that there is need for both NIMASA through the ministry of transport and labour ministry to brainstorm on how to help Nigerian sailors.
Also speaking to our correspondent, Secretary General of the merchant navy outfit, Comrade Julius Efokpo lamented the non-domestication of the MLC 2006, saying that the delay makes it difficult for seafarers in Nigeria to challenge ship owners or their employers over remuneration.
He said that “we are urging the federal ministry of labour and NIMASA to intervene because the MLC 2006 has not been domesticated" http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/merchant-navy-raises-alarm-over-nimasa-non-domestication-mlc-2006
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