MWUN Gives Relief to Stranded Foreign Seafarers

Tayo Oladipupo

Stranded seafarers aboard MT ORYX TRADER have received palliative worth over one million naira after sending a distress call to International Transport Federation at the weekend.

The vessel which is under arrest and litigation and anchored outside berth is a foreign owned vessel dominated by foreign crew.

In a swift response, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) made provision of food items, toiletries, drinks worth over one million naira for the stranded sailors within twenty-four hours.

The vessel it was gathered, has been under detention for three months on Nigerian waters but the crew have been without food for the past one week.

The MWUN’s intervention by providing succour for the stranded sailors over the weekend , followed a Save Our Soul messages from the International Transport workers Federal (ITF), for the Nigerian union to assist the sailors with relief materials.

President General of Union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju who swiftly responded to the ITF SOS call; set up an Emergency Response/Relief committee led by the Deputy Vice President General, Comrade Harry Tonye and President, Seamen /NIWA and Water Transport Branch, Comrade Francis Bunu swing into action to provide and distribute the relief items for the stranded sailors.

Out of the 18 crew on board, 15 are Muslims while 3 are Christians , all foreign nationalities comprising Pakistan and Ukrainian; Captain being a Pakistan with Ukrainian chief officer.

Speaking on the development, President, Seamen /NIWA and Water Transport Branch, Comrade Francis Bunu, said foreign seamen on outside berth were stranded and hungry and the union had made palliative available to them.

“The International transport workers Federal (ITF), the global federation of transport unions to which MWUN is affiliated, informed us of the situation of the crew on board the vessel MT ORYX TRADER reportedly anchored outside bar due to its arrest by the Nigerian authorities.

“The situation reportedly arose from dispute between two companies.

“Consequently, the eighteen member crew were abandoned and left stranded by the home company located in Greece.

“The crew had been on anchorage for over three months and had run out of water, medications, food, provisions etc.

“On the above basis, the union set up a MWUN EMERGENCY RESPONSE/RELIEF committee to evaluate the situation of the seafarers on board and determine how best for the union to respond.

“Consequently, the response team resolved to immediately solve the issue of lack of food and other necessities for the crew and set out to purchase medications, food, provisions, water, sanitizer etc which were carried by chartered boat to the crew onboard.

“To make this possible comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju, PG, MWUN and his team approved about a million plus naira to enable the purchase of these items and ensure the survival of our fellow crew on board.

“It is important to note that all the crew on board are foreign nationals, their captain being a Pakistan with Ukrainian chief officer. Out of the 18 crew on board, 15 are Muslims while 3 are Christians,”he added.