The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Seafarers’ branch president, Comrade Sunday Avoseh, has appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of benefits to retired seafarers.
Speaking at the Seaman/NIWA and Water Transport Branch 6th Quadrennial Delegate Conference, holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the leader noted that the issue has been a major challenge for the branch.
He also raised concerns about companies not paying the right wages to seafarers and called on the Federal Government to make it mandatory for vessels to have a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that spells out the conditions of service for seafarers. He stressed that it willingly ensures that companies adhere to international standards and pay seafarers fairly.
He pointed out that another challenge facing seafarers in the country is the incessant shortage of traveling documents, specifically the seafarers’ identity document, also known as the “seafarers’ book” or “CDI book”. He appealed to the Federal Government to address this issue, citing backlogs and delays in the issuance of the documents.
Despite these challenges, he expressed optimism that the Federal Government is working to address these issues and urged members to remain united and focused on their goals.
Avosheh commended the current and past administrations for their efforts in fighting for the rights of seafarers
