MWUN urges FG to pay NNSL seafarers’ entitlements

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has stated that nonpayment of pensions and entitlements of its seafarer members who worked with Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), thirty one years after its liquidation, has made living miserable for them.

Despite the aged seafarers undergoing required verification three years ago at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) sports center at Surulere, Lagos, under the guidance of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Union expressed displeasure over the nonpayment.

The Union has therefore appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to ease the old sailors’ pains and to expedite action on the payment.

According to a statement by the Union, “its on record that the Union Seafarers’ have gone through the expected and required rigorous verification exercise three years ago at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) sports center at Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos under the auspices of the erstwhile President -General of the Maritme Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Comrade Prince (Dr) Adewale Adeyanju and his executives under the guidance of the Nigerian Maritme Administration a nd Safety Agency (NIMASA).

“It would also be recalled that before the verification exercise, very many of these aged Seafarers have lost their lives, some incapacitated, while many are still hospitalized over medical issues and various ailments. even as many cannot even afford their medical bills.

“The Union had since done everything possible through NIMASA to see that the former sailors get their pensions paid but to no avail, rather the sad situation is that the old Sailors have been subjected to self medication, thus making their conditions mind boggling, while their plights seem hopeless, given the frustration they live with each day that passes by; even as the Union keeps pressing hard to ease their plights, the senior citizens are however, seemingly looking as if all hopes have been dashed in all ramifications.”

The Union maintained that its incumbent President-General, Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, has made several sacrifices to the sailors since taking over the leadership, noting that “all is not well with the senior citizens who have served Nigeria diligently, only to be meted with this kind of hardship is not something to be cheerful about or to be happy over for a diligent sailor deserves his wages and benefits after several years of sailing and meritorious service to the nation.

“In fact, since Comrade Bunu came to power, he has taken this matter with utmost concern and diligence; leaving no stone unturned since taking over from his predecessor, Comrade Adeyanju, whose frantic efforts on this matter cannot be overemphasized, making sure that the aged Seafarers get their monies and entitlements paid.

“However, Comrade Bunu since taking over the leadership of the Union has never at any point in time abandoned the course of the aged Seafarers because each time they come to the Union headquarters at Osho Drive, Olodi -Apapa, he is always ready to welcome them and ready to brief them on the updates, urging them to be patient and resilient as the Union is on course and at the top of the matter with the government and other relevant ministries in Abuja over the pursuit of their prolonged entitlements, assuring them that the government is not unaware of their plights and suffering, which he believes that in no time, there’s going to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Comrade Bunu submitted that life after retirement is worth living and not to be on the reverse gear as in the case of these aged Seafarers, whose plights have become a huge burden, a sore eye, unbearable and unimaginable.

Comrade Bunu also made a passionate appeal on this matter to the federal government and to all the authorities concerned to endeavour to put lasting smiles on the faces of these old sailors, so as to prolong their lives before nightfall, for “a stitch in time” they say, “saves nine”