Merchant Navy urges Seafarers to rally round the association for development.

Segun Oladipupo

As the newly elected National President of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA), Engr. Bob Joseph Yousou assumes office, he has said his first move is to unionize many companies into the association using his influence as a seafarer.

Yousou said this shortly after a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos on Wednesday.

He added that one of his priorities is to relocate the secretariat from its present location at Palace Road, Olodi Apapa to a more befitting environment saying it was part of his manifesto.

Speaking alongside the Secretary of the association, Comrade John Okponor, he said he is opening a window for all officer cadre of seafarers to join force with the association to move it forward.

He maintained that the union was not too keen about check-off dues for now but that those who by their positions qualify to join the union should do so to help develop it.

His words, “In my manifesto, I promised to move this association from here to a befitting secretariat and to unionize many companies this year and beyond.

“I am a seafarer and many seafarers know me and I will talk to them because I know the language to use and I believe the seafarers have confidence in me.

“We are not looking at the check-off dues as paramount, we are just looking to make the association saleable, we can be like other big associations even we hold a better position than any other union.

“Over 90 percent of the World trade today is handled by a merchant personnel then why cant we then have such percentage cough and the world will hear.

“This new regime is looking at bringing people together to help us do well because that is the only union you belong by trade union jurisdiction scope,” he said.