At the 2024 World Maritime Day celebration in Lagos, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), voiced strong criticism against manning agents and International Oil Companies (IOCs) for exploiting Nigerian seafarers. In his speech, Adeyanju shed light on the struggles of maritime workers, particularly seafarers and dockworkers, who face poor treatment, inadequate compensation, and disrespect from employers.
“As we celebrate this day, let us remember the sacrifices of maritime operators who have lost their lives at sea, ports, jetties, and other platforms,” Adeyanju began, stressing the dangerous conditions that workers endure with little or no compensation for their sacrifices.
Adeyanju accused manning agents of failing to uphold their responsibilities toward seafarers, noting, “Some of these agents have no regard for the seafarers they work with. It takes us five years of agitation before the rights of these workers are recognized. Some have served and died while on active duty, yet their compensation remains denied.”
He also criticized IOCs for their disregard for Nigerian seafarers, especially those involved in crude oil lifting. “These companies are cleaning our oil and lifting our crude oil, but they have no regard for seafarers,” Adeyanju said, emphasizing the union’s ongoing fight to ensure that seafarers’ rights are protected as per agreements with the Nigerian government.
In his address, Adeyanju called on maritime authorities, including the Ministry of Labour, to enforce compliance with agreements like the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC), designed to safeguard the rights of maritime workers. “The NJIC, which was meant to protect the rights of seafarers and dockworkers, is being disregarded by employers, and this is affecting our members,” he said.
Reflecting on the history of maritime workers’ struggles, Adeyanju urged the community to honor fallen workers by committing to safety and security for the future. He also raised concerns about the unpaid pensions of retired seafarers from the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), some of whom have been awaiting compensation for over 28 years.
“The welfare of these seafarers, who contributed positively to this country, must be addressed,” he concluded. Adeyanju’s impassioned speech left a clear call to action for the maritime community to improve the treatment and welfare of Nigeria’s seafarers.