The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday commissioned the Mission to Seafarers (MTS) Centre, Lagos, which was newly rehabilitated by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Speaking on the occasion, Oyetola expressed his readiness to ensure that seafarers and all maritime workers were well-equipped to effectively meet work demands as required for both local and global expectations in terms of ratings.
His words: “This is part of our concerted effort to ensure the maximization of the comparative advantages that our maritime resources present. The reconstruction of this MTS facility will undoubtedly scale up Nigeria’s rating in the global maritime community.
“I was highly elated when I received the report of the commissioning of this Seafarers’ Centre by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). My joy is rooted in the realisation that this purpose-built facility, designed to provide vital social, psychological, and emotional support to the crewmen and women who drive global trade in and out of Nigeria, signposts the seriousness of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in enhancing the maritime sector to add greater value to the national economy.”
Commending the Managing Director of the NPA, Mr. Mohammed Bello Koko, for a visionary intervention of transforming the MtS, Lagos, the minister challenged all heads of maritime agencies to drive smart initiatives such as this, which creates opportunities for inclusiveness and growth.
“You can be rest assured of my unflinching support towards the implementation of such initiatives. Let me remind all stakeholders that the sustainability of investments such as this rests heavily on how well we maintain them. I hope that the importance of this facility will not be lost on its users,” he said.
In his speech, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, recognised the important contribution of the seafarers to global trade, which benefits world economies and naturally, people.
“So it makes sense to reserve well-furnished and equipped spaces such as this all over the world for seafarers to unwind and regain psychosocial balance,” he said.
He pointed out that the decision to urgently reconstruct and fully equip the facility to acceptable global standards derives from its persuasion at the Authority that shore leave for seafarers, which this facility affords, is a necessity rather than a luxury.
His words: “It is essential for this special category of men and women who spend weeks on end holed up with only work mates for company to get on shore to interact and access internet to contact family, seek welfare, to secure medical or psychological support if needed and to have a break from the work environment.”
Bello Koko added that considering the 6000 seafarers and 4000 foreign-flagged ships calling at the nation’s ports annually, it became important to establish this sort of partnership that would benefit both the visiting seafarers as well as promote coastal tourism, and using the opportunity to project a good image for the nation.
“With an estimated number of four thousand (4000) foreign flagged ships visiting our shores annually, which implies three hundred (300) vessels (or a minimum of 6,000 Seafarers) every month, it has become expedient that we intensify our collaborations with global institutions like the MtS to encourage Shore Leave and Crew Change and of course reap the concomitant benefits for coastal tourism and the projection of positive image and reputation for our dear nation.
“Already, we are witnessing improvements of inland traffic to and from our ports. These, coupled with developments in intermodal transportation, as occasioned by our advancing rail system, are bound to encourage and stimulate immense opportunities in the maritime ecosystem,” he said.
Representing the Chairman Mission to Seafarers, Lagos, Adebayo Sarumi, a member of the management team, Mrs. Yetunde Akinluyi, noted that the needs of seafarers have transcended the provision of a base where seafarers can contact their families to advocacy for shore leave, legal assistance, counselling pastoral care and increasingly psychological support.
She also gave assurances of the great impact that the centre would have on the seafarers visiting Nigeria and even the sub-region.
