·Seek extension of Tinubu's student loan to seafarers

A group, the joint body of the Nigerian Seafarers Professionals, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to stop the importation of vessels into Nigeria, saying, "it negates the intents of the Cabotage Act 2007 which stipulated that ships should be built and crewed by Nigerians."

The seafarers who pushed this agenda during the World Seafarers's Day held at the National Institute of Sport, NIS, in Lagos, also called on President Bola Tinubu to extend his recent policy on student loan to Nigerian seafarers to up-grade knowledge.

Speaking at event a prominent seafarer, Capt Oluwasegun Oniye, also advised the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to ensure that the accrued Cabotage Fund ready for disbursement must not be spent outside Nigeria, but within so that the vessels can be built in-country.

He said: "If the law says any ship that would sail within the Nigerian waterways must be built here, so why are we importing ships into the country? We are already building ships in Nigeria; all we need is to fine-tune the technical aspects. The approved CVFF should not go out.

Another prominent seafarer, Capt Ogunsakin Williams, appealed to President Bola Tinubu on the student loan policy, saying that Nigerian seafarers are in dire need of such loans.

He said, "Nigerian seafarers are not getting paid enough, you just collect salary and you use everything to renew your certificate, and you are not even guaranteed of getting the job back. Let them bring this loan to seafarers."