Adeyanju Lauds Oyetola on IMO Council Seat, Urges Upgrade of Maritime Academy, Payment for Aged Seafarers
Former President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Dr. Adewale Adeyanju, has congratulated the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Honourable Adegboyega Oyetola, on Nigeria’s successful election into the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Category C Council.
Adeyanju described the feat as a major boost to Nigeria’s standing in the global maritime community, noting that the victory surpassed the country’s previous performances in 2011 and 2019.
He attributed the success to what he called the minister’s “strong, focused and radical approach” through an effective inter-ministerial campaign committee.
According to Adeyanju, who is also Vice President (Global) of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Oyetola ranks among ministers of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose performances have brought honour and prestige to the country.
He said the IMO Council seat has firmly repositioned Nigeria on the global maritime map and raised the profile of the nation’s maritime industry.
He also commended key maritime agencies for their synergy in achieving the landmark victory, particularly the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA); the Executive Director of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC); and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dayo Mobereola.
Adeyanju, who currently chairs the Board of Trustees of MWUN, called on the Federal Government to leverage the momentum of the IMO victory to urgently upgrade the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron. He said improving the academy’s facilities and certification capacity would enable Nigerian seafarers and dockworkers to process their documents locally, rather than travelling to neighbouring countries, particularly Ghana, to obtain seafarers’ certificates and related documents.
He expressed confidence that the same commitment and coordination that delivered the IMO Council seat could be applied to raising MAN, Oron to international standards for the benefit of cadets and Nigerian seafarers, who, he noted, often struggle fruitlessly to secure certification abroad.
The labour leader also drew attention to the long-standing plight of aged and retired seafarers, particularly former employees of the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), whose unpaid pensions have lingered for years. He lamented that many of the retirees have suffered severe hardship, illness and, in some cases, death, while waiting for their entitlements.
Adeyanju noted that although the Ministries of Labour and Employment and Finance have reportedly put mechanisms in place to address the issue, payments are yet to be made. He described the situation as “sad and inhumane,” urging the government to fast-track the settlement of the retirees to give them relief while they are still alive.
He further raised concerns about the absence of onboard security and gangway men in Nigeria’s ports, describing it as a major lapse in port operations. According to him, the lack of gangway security has resulted in poor cargo reporting, revenue losses to government, and increased security risks at the nation’s seaports.
Adeyanju therefore called on the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and relevant regulatory agencies to urgently restore onboard security and gangway men on all vessels operating in Nigerian ports. He said this would improve internal security, ensure accurate record-keeping of cargo tonnage, and enhance overall efficiency within the maritime sector.
He stressed that addressing these issues would further consolidate the gains Nigeria has recorded with its return to the IMO Council.
