The Nigerian Indigenous Ship owners Association (NISA) has said that non-engagement of indigenous ship owners in Cabotage trade (Coastal and Inland Shipping) had rendered thousands of seafarers jobless.
The President of the association, Capt. Niyi Labinjo, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
Labinjo said there was need to build the shipping industry together with the human capacity.
He said there should be adequate projections for the requirements of the industry.
The mariner said that presently there were 4,000 seafarers in the country, adding that of the 4,000, only 2,500 were registered with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
“Out of the 2,500 registered, over half of them are on the streets.
“They will remain like that unless indigenous ship owners are encouraged,’’ Labinjo said.
He said that they (seafarers) were on the streets because the indigenous ship owners who can accommodate them were not engaged.
The mariner said: “They (indigenous ship owners) are not getting business.’’
According to him, the maritime academy is producing about 1,000 seafarers every year.
You have to build your shipping industry as you are building your human capacity at about the same pace.
Labinjo said that even the few registered seafarers were jobless because the indigenous ship owners were not having contracts.
“Once we have contracts we would employ all of them.
“Government should insist and enforce that Nigerians and all those operating in Nigerian shipping industry should employ the services of Nigerians.
“In 1977 when government compelled wearing of Made-in-Nigeria clothes, this assisted the textile industry to flourish,’’ Labinjo said.
He advised that NIMASA should enforce the Cabotage Act in order to create jobs for both the seafarers and indigenous ship owners.
