The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola on Wednesday commissioned the Nigerian Seafarers Centre newly renovated by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Apapa, Lagos. The centre is owned by the Mission to Seafarers (MTS) Lagos.
Speaking during the commissioning, Oyetola expressed delight at the renovation of the facility by NPA, saying it would support the social, psychological and emotional needs of seafarers who visit Nigeria.
The Minister said the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is determined to equip seafarers and other maritime workers with the enabling tools to tackle and overcome work related challenges.
He commended NPA its intervention in transforming the facility, which had been in a poor condition for many years.
He implored agencies under his ministry to be audacious in driving smart initiatives that create opportunities and open up growth in the sector.
“You can be rest assured of my unflinching support towards the implementation of such initiatives. Let me remind all stakeholders that the sustainability of investments such as this rests heavily on how well we maintain them. I hope that the importance of this facility will not be lost on its users,” he said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, said, “It is essential for this special category of men and women who spend weeks on end holed up with only work mates for company to get on shore to interact and access internet to contact family, seek welfare, to secure medical or psychological support if needed and to have a break from the work environment.”
He said NPA’s partnership with the Mission to Seafarers to renovate the centre is a testament of a commitment to advance maritime trade and unleash fresh opportunities for growth and prosperity inherent in Nigeria’s blue economy.
“With an estimated number of 4,000 foreign-flagged ships visiting our shores annually, which implies 300 vessels (or a minimum of 6,000 Seafarers) every month, it has become expedient that we intensify our collaborations with global institutions like the MTS to encourage shore leave and crew change and of course reap the concomitant benefits for coastal tourism and the projection of positive image and reputation for our dear nation.
“Already, we are witnessing improvements of inland traffic to and from our ports. These, coupled with developments in intermodal transportation, as occasioned by our advancing rail system, are bound to encourage and stimulate immense opportunities in the maritime ecosystem,” he said.
The Chairman of Mission to Seafarers Lagos, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, represented by a member of the board, Yetunde Akinluyi, said the needs of seafarers have evolved from the provision of a base through which they can contact their families to advocacy for shore leave, legal assistance, counselling pastoral care and increasingly psychological support.
“We assure you as well as our other collaborating partners that your seed of support shall germinate into a glorious future for Nigeria for the subcontinent and for seafarers,” he said.