The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have begun discussions on how to resolve the lingering issue of terminal benefits of seafarers whose appointments were terminated due to the liquidation of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL).
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh and MWUN President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, jointly announced an agreement for physical verification of the affected seafarers or their next of kin, nature of appointment with NNSL and the exact amount due each beneficiary.
The NIMASA DG also assured the union that their position will be communicated to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, to ensure government takes necessary actions to close end the imbroglio.
“The issue of industrial harmony in the maritime sector is of utmost interest to our administration at NIMASA. We have been at this for a while. NIMASA had offered N100 million as settlement, which the union declined. We have also discovered that some of those demanding settlement did not even have any employment letter.
“We will follow the lead from our supervising Ministry and ensure the physical verification exercise is brought to a logical conclusion. Our Honourable Minister will be duly updated by the agency. I look forward to closing this issue in months to come,” Jamoh said.
On his part, the President General, Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said the union remained committed to peaceful resolution of disputes while ensuring that the rights and privileges of workers are protected.
“I will like to commend NIMASA under Dr Jamoh for the unflinching commitment to industrial harmony. He is always a phone call away to resolve any issue. Yes, NIMASA offered N100 million to offset the terminal benefits.
“However, if others like Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Shippers Council and the rest also add funds, there will be enough to go round the expected beneficiaries. As we did for dockworkers when a flat rate of two hundred thousand was paid during port concession; that is what we want, putting into consideration the realities on ground now,” he said.
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