Covid 19:  80 percent of Nigerian seafarers suffered mental ill-health – Seafarers group. 

A seafarers group has claimed that 80 percent of Nigerian seafarers are said to have suffered mental ill health due to coronavirus pandemic plaguing the world.

The palliative, according to Yousou, was made possible through the help of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Seafarers Trust Fund  department and  the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

He maintained that 80 percent of Nigerian seafarers suffered mental imbalance  because some of them stayed longer than necessary on board beyond their normal duration which he said had a strain on their mental state.

According to him, some of them who are expected to stay for three or four months onboard vessel extended to nine to ten months onboard which he said was a big problem because disconnecting with their families posed serious challenges and danger to their mental wellbeing.

His words, “This pandemic made most of them prisoners at sea; it enslaved their psyche and mental state which in turn led to fatigue and depression.

“There is no way a seafarer can be mentally stable why at sea for that long period.

He lamented that despite the Marine Notice by the federal government declaring seafarers as essential workers, the hardship faced under the movement  restrictions  and isolation of sailors can be best described as “prisoners on the sea” under the COVID19 pandemic.

Aside the seafarers who were enslaved during pandemic, the union boss stressed that Nigerian ship owners did not help matters as there was massive job loss in the subsector.

While speaking on the exercise which ITF and NIMASA donated to cushion the effects of the seamen, the President stated that the distribution of the items would cut across the various zones of the union.

He called on leaders of the various zones under the union to further distribute the items to members and non members aboard vessels .

The President reiterated that the unionisation of seafarers play a pivotal role for the workers welfare noting that donations from international organisation and government agencies should be applauded .

The items distributed to some of the members include bags of rice, hand sanitizers, themometer , nosemasks, T-shirts and faze caps.

Comrade Yousou also stated that some of the palliatives would be transported to other coastal states of the country were some of the members are located adding that the distribution would be a continuous exercise.

He added that the focus of distribution would centre on officers aboard all forms of vessels irrespective of their nationality because the ratings have already benefited from the gesture courtesy the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).

“Our international body called ITF Trust fund must be commended for this initiative so also for NIMASA because they understand the situation of the seafarers during the pandemic.

“ITF and NIMASA care for the seafarers and they deserve commendations for the initiative,” he stated.