•Expert decries foreign dominance
By Steve Agbota, [email protected]
Despite efforts by previous administrations to promote the good image of Nigerian seafarers at home and abroad, indications are that a lot still needed to be done to make them globally competitive.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) established the Nigerian National Shipping Lines (NNSL) at a time the nation’s maritime business was flourishing, and Nigerian flags were flown all over the World. Currently, it is a rarity for Nigerian registered vessels to be seen anywhere outside that country’s jurisdiction.
This followed the collapse of NNSL and lack of indigenous vessels.
However, due to the to the lack of investment by the Federal Government, the sector appears to have downgraded the competencies and efficiency of their own children, brothers, and sisters, and the entire seafarer’s generation to the benefit of foreigners.
Today, the foreigners have dominated the seafarering profession while thousands of Nigerian seafarers’ were out of jobs.
In previous years, upon seafarers’ gaining admission into Maritime Academy (MAN) Oron, automatically their family became blessed. The seafarers’ embarked on pre-sea training, and as soon as they passed out, their Cadet placement onboard was automatic.
Indeed, while writing their final paper/POP, they were excited because they already knew the ship they were going to serve on. There were options upon completion of their 18 months cadetship and they could apply for servicewherever they preferred such as Sweden, Singapore, or the UK.
Then, the UK tended to be a preferred destination because NNSL called frequently at UK ports. Then, they just took shore leave and hopped into a taxi to go and apply for their eligibility, thereafter, either the government or self-sponsored, in most cases on NNSL followed to finance the training and examination.
The natural progression after passing the Class 3 exam was to be admitted straight onboard as either junior or 3rd officer Deck or Engine. This career progression continued till one became a Master or Chief Engineer.
Back in the day, the experience as an officer on NNSL opened up opportunities in other countries flags and shipping companies. Nigerian officers and ratings were highly regarded globally at the time. The opportunities were so immense than that even students from the School of Oceanography were also given similar opportunity to serve their cadetship onboard NNSL Vessels.
Regrettably, the current developments in the Nigerian Seafarering industry are deplorable.
However, a seasoned and active Seagoing Captain Ogunsakin Rotimi William said that the seafaring profession in Nigeria is experiencing a state of emergency that must be addressed timeously.
“Highly qualified seafarers with unlimited COC, Master or Chief Engineer from the UK and other reputable administration at the fortune of their family are not accorded the necessary regard when contending to apply for coastal work.
“It is reprehensible that they are compared with not only NCV holders but also with expatriates holding unverifiable certificates, and the foreigners are more respected , and paid far higher than Nigerians holding authentic COCs from reputable institutions,” he said.
In previous years, he said foreign going seafarers classified themselves so high that no amount of money one offered them would make them accept a coastal Job, adding that coastal jobs then were not like now, which are limited to only Nigerian territorial waters and Togo but coastal jobs went as far as Morocco, Tenerife, Mauritania, Congo, Angola, South Africa etc.
He said but today the current crop of Nigerian seafarers are said to be no longer competent to navigate vessels within their territorial waters.
“Nigerian Seafarers holding foreign ticket (with self-effort, self-sponsored) are supposed to have the opportunity to serve onboard foreign going Vessels operating in foreign jurisdictions and coming to Nigeria while earning foreign currency, serving as an asset to the Nigerian economy, instead of coming down to Nigeria and competing for coastal job roles with expatriates and NCV holders.
“During NNSL, Nigerian also had private foreign going Shipping companies such as Yinka Folawiyo, Binta Yaradua, Elderdemster, etc., those seafarers working onboard those Vessel seldom participated in coastal jobs.There were also several categories namely Coastal Cargo Ship , Coastal Tanker, Offshore, Fishing. Nigerian Seafarers where accorded the necessary respect on the basis of competence,” he explained.
However, he said with the advent of the Cabotage Act and the waiver system, Nigerian waters are dominated by expatriate seafarers therefore leaving the indigenous seafarers with little or no competitive roles.
He added that there has been a drastic decline and death of seafaring opportunities and attendant regard accorded to the Nigerian seafarers of today in spite of the existence of the Nigerian Maritime Academy Oron and other Maritime Institutions, a Maritime University and private maritime institutions.
He hinted that If urgent and appropriate action is not taken to address the challenges of unemployment as the consequences will be enormous.
Part of the consequences, he said would be
infiltration of expatriate in the nation’s territorial waters doing the jobs Nigerian seafarers can perfectly do, adding that if given the same opportunity that was given to Nigerian seafarers in ‘70’s when “our Daddy’s under analogue system were sailing NNSL ships all round the world.”
He there is need for government to provide foreign going ship where Nigerians who have have suffered through thick and thin to obtain unlimited COC to accorded the respect and job satisfaction they deserved, thereby creating a better opportunity for the holders on NCV
“Over production of half baked Cadet, Cadet is half baked when he or she is unable to fulfill his mandatory sea term or leadership onboard. When a professional is trained without providing what to do with the skill, He or She becomes venerable to Maritime Criminality. Government must something fast to address this particular challenge, otherwise, they may be training maritime criminal that will be difficult to control with taxpayers money.
“Priority bidding should be accorded to shipping company’ that comply with local content 100 per cent like Matrix Shipping, Azimuth Shipping, White Dove/Arion Shipping is coming up on the list and others I cannot mention, to serve as deterrent to those companies that refused to comply.
“There is a lack of strategic positioning in the industry and a well thought out value chain, and this is reflected in how Nigeria sends freshers over-seas for cadetship training without owning one single ship as a training vessel to enable the freshers actualize the training aspect of the learning process. It is of the essence that these issues are addressed swiftly and systematically to resuscitate and rescue a fast declining profession,” he said.