…Regional Maritime Development Bank Underway

By Seun Ibiyemi

The Federal Government has advanced the process of developing a National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy which is envisaged to deliver the target of over $2.7 billion contributions of the sector to the national economy.

Director, Maritime Safety and Security Department, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Babatunde Hafiz who disclosed this at a stakeholders forum in Lagos, said the ministry has commenced the process of developing a National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy which will play a great role in enhancing the performance of the shipping sub-sector and boost trade facilitation as well as economic growth.

Hafiz said the development of the policy will provide a comprehensive framework/blueprint to deliver the expected over $2.7 billion contributions of the marine and blue economic sector to the national economy and tackle revenue leakages, through the envisaged streamlined approach to the management of the sector.

He said the ministry is determined to work towards the disbursement  of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).

CVFF is an intervention fund established by the Cabotage Act to assist indigenous shipping operators in acquiring new vessels to enhance indigenous capacity building.

The CVFF is a strategic instrument within the legislative framework to stimulate the expansion of domestic shipping capability.

He said: “To ensure the full implementation of the CVFF, the Ministry has constituted a Committee to develop clear guidelines and mechanisms to facilitate improved access to the Fund by Stakeholders in the Shipping Sub Sector.

“This initiative is envisaged to ensure that the Fund achieves its goal of providing the required financial support for indigenous shipowners to acquire, construct and repair their vessels.”

“The CVFF will allow the indigenous shipowners to fund the acquisition of more vessels at a single-digit interest rate. Limiting Cabotage trade to Nigeria-owned, crewed and operated ships, will increase the number of ship fleets/tonnage in the country and attract healthy competition with foreign shipping companies in international shipping.

“The CVFF will also enhance the employment of Nigerians in the maritime sector, increase locally induced Cabotage trade and movement of passengers and cargo by indigenous shippers,” he stated.

Besides, Hafiz said the arrangements to herald the establishment of Regional Maritime Development Bank are at an advanced stage.

“The RMDB establishment is ongoing, with Nigeria set to host the headquarters and having the highest share among MOWCA member states.

“The bank’s objectives include funding port infrastructure, vessel acquisition, and human capacity development, among others. The RMDB’s establishment was conceived by the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), which comprises 25 countries.

“The RMDB’s capital base is expected to be $1 billion, with Nigeria having the highest share of 12% among MOWCA member states. The bank will be a private-public sector-driven bank, with 51% shareholding for MOWCA states and 49% for institutional investors.

“The bank’s establishment process is ongoing and an office space has been provided for the bank at the NIMASA, Abuja Office. Its establishment will increase access to funding for the acquisition, construction and repairs of vessels by indigenous shipowners,” he said.

He said the ministry through its Agency (NIMASA) is collaborating with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to provide accurate sea weather forecasts to aid sea navigation and provide information for seafarers to support safe navigation and efficient operations in Nigerian waters.

“As part of the collaboration, NiMet has invested over N2 billion to enhance its marine meteorological services, including the upgrade and expansion of automatic marine stations, installation of tide gauges and buoy systems, and the establishment of a dedicated Central Marine Forecast Office (CMFO),” he stated.

…We will promote an equitable Maritime Labour industry — Mobereola

By Seun Ibiyemi

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has launched the reviewed minimum wage document for Nigerian Seafarers, developed in line with the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention MLC 2006.

The document, which is for 2023-2025, is a product of a Collective Bargaining Agreement that involved employers of labour in the maritime sector, the leadership of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, NIMASA and other stakeholders in the industry.

Speaking at the event, the Agency’s Director General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, stressed the importance of this revised document in enhancing the working conditions of seafarers.

“Today, we gather to celebrate a significant achievement in our collective efforts to enhance the seafaring industry. I am honoured to present the reviewed minimum standard for the seafaring industry; a landmark document that establishes the benchmark for fair and safe working conditions, decent living wages, and social protection for our seafarers,” stated the Director General.

Dr. Mobereola also emphasised the need for collaboration and swift action in finalizing the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) among Ship Owners, Nigerian Trawlers Operators, Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNO/WTSSA), and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on the renewed minimum standards for the Nigerian seafarers, to prevent payment backlogs and ensure timely compensation for employees.

In his words: “The revised standard provides a comprehensive framework outlining the terms and conditions of employment for maritime workers, including wages, working hours, health and safety regulations, and other benefits.

“This reflects the collective expertise and input of stakeholders and our shared commitment to continuous improvement. This effort will contribute to sustaining an equitable and prosperous maritime labor industry.”

The Chairman of the National Seafarers Welfare Board, Alhaji Tijani Ramalan who launched the document, emphasised the need to adhere to the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, stating that it will not only foster industrial harmony, but also guarantee better working conditions for Nigerian Seafarers.

The launch event concluded with a call to action for all stakeholders in the maritime industry to collaborate in upholding these minimum standards and building a better future for seafarers, the industry, and the nation.

…Says electricity supply has improved, appeals for patience from Nigerians

Minister of Power, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu has decried that over 95 percent of individuals that embarked on a protest against the recent increase in electricity tariff are not affected by the increase.

Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, had on Monday embarked on a nationwide protest over the recent hike in electricity tariffs demanding a reversal of the increase which specifically affected Band A customers in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry and what the described as ‘colossal failure” of the Privatisation in the power sector.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the two days Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, appealed to the organised labour not to derail the transformation plan in the power sector.

Fielding questions on the labour’s demand, he said, “My appeal again is that they should please not derail or distract our transformation plan for the industry.”

“We have a clearly documented reform roadmap to take us to our desired destination, where we’re going to have reliable, functional, cost-effective and affordable electricity in Nigeria. It cannot be achieved overnight because this is a decay of almost 60 years, which we are trying to correct.

“Nobody promised us or assured us that the road will be smooth. We knew it’s going to be rough, but we must weather the storm, which is going to be temporary. It’s a lot of sacrifice from everybody; from the government’s side, from the people’s side, from the private sector side. So we must bear this sacrifice for us to have a permanent gain.

“I don’t want us to go back to the situation we were in February and March, where we had very low generation. We all felt the impact of this whereby electricity supply was very low and every household, every company, every institution, felt it.

“From the little reform that we’ve embarked upon since the beginning of April, we have seen the impact that electricity has improved and it can only get better.

“So I’m appealing to everybody that one should not toy with this before that we have embarked upon, we are aiming somewhere and we will achieve it.”

The Minister, who acknowledged that the protesters have the fundamental right to embark on protest, commended them for being peaceful and orderly..

He said, “Let me first make it abundantly clear that we are in a democracy so there are fundamental human rights. I cannot deny people their rights.

“It’s the right of the Labour to protest peacefully and to come up with their demands, from the perspective they saw what we did. It is clearly allowed, it is legitimate and it is understandable.

“So we cannot stop them from organising a peaceful protest or laying down their demands. Let me make that clear. President Bola Tinubu’s administration is also a listening government.

“We have heard their demands, we’re going to look at it, we’ll make further engagements and I believe we’re going to reach a peaceful resolution with the labor because no government can succeed without the cooperation, collaboration and partnership with the Labour unions.

“So we welcome the peaceful protest and I’m happy that it was not a violent protest. They’ve made their positions known and the government has taken in their demands and we’re looking at it.

“But one thing that I want to state here is from the statistics of those affected by the hike in tariff, the people on the road yesterday, who embarked on the peaceful protests, more than 95 percent of them are not affected by the increase in the tariff of electricity.

“They still enjoy almost 70 percent government subsidy in the tariff they pay because the average costs of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity is not less than N180 today.

“A lot of them are paying below N60 so they still enjoy the government’s subsidy. So when they say we should reverse the recently increased tariff, sincerely it’s not affecting them. That’s one position,” he said.