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Seafarers, dockworkers and all other maritime employees have critical roles to play in achieving a functional marine and blue economy.
Stakeholders argued that the maritime workers are the foot soldiers that steer the vessel in line with the blue economy agenda advocated in the various multilateral treaties superintended by the various international organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILC) among others.
Presenting a paper on ‘Marine and Blue Economy: Its Impact on Maritime Workers’, during the launch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) quarterly magazine, tagged ‘The Maritime Labour Voice’, Maritime lawyer and Managing Partner, Maritime and Commercial Law Partners, Osuala Nwagbara described the workers’ role as a significant force in facilitating ocean trade across borders and within coastal waters.
He maintained that a functional marine and blue economy must ensure proper training and education of the seafarers, dock workers and other maritime employees as part of professional development, while proper remuneration, welfare, health and safety of maritime workers in line with international treaties are essential to boost the working morale of the maritime workers in executing their jobs.
According to him, adequate training and certification of maritime industry employees will not only meet the Nigerian maritime industry manpower needs but will also lead to the export of maritime industry manpower to other parts of the global community.
To this end, he said there was an urgent need for the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to establish an Overseas Maritime Employees Department (OMED) within the Ministry to cater for the training/certification needs and exportation of maritime industry manpower from Nigeria to other parts of the world, similar to what obtains in the Philippines.
He said this would have the effect of not only generating employment for Nigeria`s teeming unemployed youth but also generating scarce foreign exchange and in addition promoting the status of Nigeria among maritime nations.
Noting that the marine and blue economy advocates the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and creation of jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem and green shipping, he said: “The maritime workers are key stakeholders in achieving this balance.
Therefore, the welfare of the maritime and shipping industry workers must enjoy priority attention by all concerned, in the plans and programmes towards a functional Marine and Blue Economy.”
Speaking at the event, MWUN President-General, Adewale Adeyanju, said that the magazine was created to promote a harmonious working environment that will stimulate industrial peace and “represent the voice of the voiceless”.
He said Maritime Labour Voice is the outcome of the collective dream of the leaders and members of the union.
The union leader said Nigeria is a maritime nation blessed with valuable water resources that contribute immensely to the socio-economic development of the country in terms of food, mineral resources and marine transport but the response to threats posed by the reckless use of the oceans led to the creation of the Blue Economy.
The Chairman of the event, Vicky Haastrup, said the initiative of the magazine was timely, as it would enable the sector to understand the maritime workers better.
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