- NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Victor Ochei, flanked on the left by the Head, Maritime Labour Services NIMASA, Aliyu Lawan, presents a biometric identity card to the MWUN President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, during the flag-off of the maritime labour e-Registration platform and issuance of biometric identity cards to dockworkers in Lagos…Tuesday
By Anthony Nwachukwu
Towards a full automation of its processes, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has launched the electronic registration platform for maritime labour and issuance of biometric identity cards to dockworkers.
Speaking at the event in Lagos Tuesday, NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the e-platform was a major step towards attaining full automation of all its processes.
Jamoh, who was represented by the NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Victor Ochei, said it was prompted by the need for an independent, robust, integrated information, verification and communication platform that would serve as a system database generation on maritime labour in Nigeria.
The development of automation processes would benefit the industry both in terms of time-saving, thereby improving service delivery, as well as building capacity of the maritime labour workforce.
“I am particularly delighted about the prospect of eliminating the time-consuming process of seafarers and employers’ registration, which is what the e-Platform would provide,” a statement from the Assistant Director, Public Relations, Osagie Edward, cited Jamoh to say.
“It is further expected that the E-Platform would promote a seamless registration process that will culminate in the issuance of biometric identity cards to seafarers and dockworkers.”
He assured of the agency’s commitment to building the capacity of Nigerian seafarers and dockworkers to improve the nation’s standing in the maritime sector in the comity of maritime nations.
“I wish to reiterate the agency’s commitment towards actualising its mandate as provided in the enabling Act. Our resolve to make life meaningful to the entire maritime labour remains firm, and we intend to achieve this through sustainable efforts in capacity building and improved welfare,” he said.
“The agency is also prioritising the training of Nigerian seafarers to meet industry needs, with emphasis on specialised and advanced trainings.”
On his part, President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, expressed delight at the development, stating that NIMASA has proven its commitment to improving standards in the Nigerian maritime sector, especially in labour practices and capacity development.
