MWUN Launches “The Maritime Labour Voice”
MWUN Launches “The Maritime Labour Voice”
… says
marine and blue economy will have a positive impact on Maritime Workers.
By Jerry Aguigbo
It was a turn out of the high and mighty and a glorious outing, as MWUN launched it’s debutant in-house Magazine, ” The Maritime Labour Voice” Wednesday, at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa-Lagos.
The Chief host of the day, the President-General Maritime Workers’Union of Nigeria, MWUN Dr (Prince Adewale Adeyanju giving his welcome address said the Maritime Workers’Union acknowledges the enormous contributions of all employers, regulators and stakeholders to the stability and growth of the Maritime sector as well as the well being and welfare of the sector’s operators and practitioners.
In his words, ” I wish to state that the primary purpose of this magazine is to promote harmonious working environment that would stimulate industrial peace, to represent the voice of the voiceless and to project alternative voices where necessary.”
Also doing justice to the topic of the day’s lecture, ” The Marine and Blue Economy: It’s Impact on Maritime Workers, Bar. Osuala Nwabara while delivering his lecture said, the Maritime Workers and the Seafarers are the engine room and eyes with which the Maritime industry sees, therefore a clean and unpolluted Ocean have a lasting effect on Seafarers.
Nwabara said that most of our economic activities as humans depend largely on the Ocean,
“According to the United Nation 40% of the world population live near coastal areas, 80% of world trade is achieved using the seas. The oceans, seas and coastal areas contribute to food security and poverty reduction. And yet, the ocean is under severe threat by human activities, where economic profit are at the expense of environmental degradation. Acidification, pollution, ocean warming, and fishery collapse are just some of the examples of the consequences on the marine ecosystems. These threats are detrimental to the planet and have long term repercussions that demand urgent action to protect the oceans and the people who depend on them.
Viable use of the ocean economy in line with the concept of blue economy will sustain life on earth and it entails ocean, seas and marine resources conservation, sea pollution reduction and decarbonised shipping.
In 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted a development policy on sustainability which centers around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The 17 goals provide a global blueprint for peace and prosperity of people and the planet and are set to be achieved by 2030. Goal 14, titled Life Below Water, concerns conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, and demands international cooperation for the oceans to get back in balance.
Reaching Goal 14 requires universal action to protect the planet and require the collaboration of global and regional blocs within the international community and requisite legal frame work for its implementation.
The oceans and seas are a main source of food, energy and minerals, and are being used for different purposes. Common examples are fisheries and aquaculture, and the processing and trade of these resources. The maritime transport also plays a big role in the global market in the form of containerships, tankers, and ports for the vessels. Furthermore, coastal tourism is the largest business within ocean activities in terms of employment.”
In furtherance, he stated that the
enforcement of globally applicable IMO rules by both flag States and port States, and enforcement of national laws and regulations by national Maritime Administrations, as applicable, will be important for promotion and driving marine and blue economy. Effective promotion of marine and blue economy will have a positive impact on Maritime Workers.
Also giving his remarks, Com. Charles Agada, Port manager, Apapa Port said the entire gamut of port operation falls within the Blue Economy.
Agada said the launch of the Maritime Labour Voice symbolises the strength of the Maritime Workers’Union, he however appealed to the NLC to grant the Maritime industry a special dispensation because it is at the heart of the economy of Nigeria and the economy is rested squarely at the Blue Economy.
Speaking also, Mrs. Sarah Bala Usman, Asst. General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, NPA says the Blue economy is a game changer in Nigeria, “everything you see in the country is a product of the Blue Economy. She praised MWUN for coming out with a Magazine and urged the Union to ensure that it is sustained.
The Chairman of the event, Mrs Vicky Haastrup President STOAN, while giving her remarks said “workers all over the world play vital roles, without workers, there will be no economy,” she said.
Continuing, Haastrup said that Union in itself is good and the right of Union is very important. She lauded MWUN for contributing immensely to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. According to her, ” if the right policies are made and the right things are done, the Maritime sector can solve the economic problems of Nigeria.” She praised the leadership of MWUN for the wonderful initiative of publishing a magazine which will be helpful to the industry, and it is also timely.
On her part, Mrs Hauwa Mohammed of the NLC called on Labour to be proactive and not reactive. That Labour should compare notes with countries that are already Operating the blue economy, to understand the implications for workers, for the Union and the environment.
The magazine was unveiled by the leadership of MWUN and all Stakeholders present.
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