However, Nigeria is bleeding through the maritime, saying that the maritime industry is capable enough to generate much income and millions of employment for Nigerians.
“80 percent of the seafarers present here are jobless as most of them have been out of the sea. If we want these seafarers to meet up with their global counterparts all they need is to add to their training and let them be more
“Implementation of the Cabotage Act is enough to create jobs for over 15000 Nigerians because the ship would be built here and owned by Nigerians, adding that Act stipulates that the vessel must be built in Nigeria, wholly-owned by Nigerians and wholly-crewed by Nigerians,” he added.
He noted that the Federal Government must come out with a policy that would encourage shipbuilding in the country, saying that building ships alone in Nigeria would create jobs for over 5000 Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the chairman organizing committee of the Day of the Seafarers, Captain Ogunshakin Rotimi William, said the problem facing Nigerian seafarers is so complicated because of a lack of willpower or political interest in solving it despite being a simple problem.
“It is a thing that they can solve, but they don’t want to solve it. The major problem is that Nigerian seafarers suddenly do not have jobs again, Nigeria suddenly does not have ships again, I can tell you, 20 to 25 years ago, I have been over 30 years in the sea business, I can tell you owners of the ship, Olodoja, and so many. All of them are no more.
“All those containers you see in the Tincan Island, Apapa port, killing people on our roads, no one was brought in by our ship, we don’t have ship bringing it, so instead of the maritime to bring a source of revenue to the Nigerian citizen and to the economy of Nigeria to boost our economy, it is a drain pipe, it is draining our economy.
“From the ownership of the vessel, all the vessels that are here, about 70 percent of vessels operating in Nigeria are owned by foreigners, and when you pay, you pay to them in their country, the money stays there, they only pay small or some little laborers around here,” he added.
However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, extended the policy of student loans to seafarers, adding that Nigerian seafarers also need the loan.
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