The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)’s plan to renovate the Lagos centre of the Mission To Seafarers’ (MTS) is expected to improve Nigeria’s maritime image and the country’s quest to win the Category C council seat in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
LEADERSHIP reports that the MTS centre has suffered abandonment over the years with the managing director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, expressing readiness to renovate the abandoned centre.
Maritime stakeholders have also argued that the renovation of the MTS centre will further lead to removal of the War Risk Insurance Premiums usually placed on seafarers calling at Nigerian ports.
Speaking after taking a tour of the dilapidated facility, Bello-Koko, expressed sadness at the years of decay, saying that the present status of the MTS Lagos is not befitting of Nigeria as a maritime nation.
The NPA boss, who came on the visit with a team of engineers, subsequently directed them to hit the ground running, even as a 3D Project Plan was given to them by management of the mission to work upon.
Bello-Koko said: “the physical infrastructure is quite embarrassing, its dilapidated. This is not what I expected to see and I am really sad to see this. We all know the relevance of the mission, they are to take relevant actions concerning the welfare of the seafarers, and their mental health. They have been doing quite a good job, in recent times, we have had discussions with them and we felt that there is need for the NPA to get involved in the renovation of this place.
“This is where sailors coming into Nigeria from other countries relax and spend a good time, but this is not befitting. In Nigeria, the port community revolves around the Port Authority and probably a few stakeholders, so, we would take responsibility, the bulk stops here.”
Speaking further, Bello-Koko, noted that, seafarers are integral part of the cargo supply chain and that their welfare is very important.
According to him, the NPA is constantly partnering with agencies, including; the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on the general welfare of seafarers, saying, ‘A Day of the Seafarers’ is marked annually to discuss their welfare and ensure they get all they deserve, especially, medical and mental health needs.
He stated that, “this place used to be one of the best in the world, but today, you can see the current state of it. What you are going to see is that NPA is coming onboard to ensure that this centre is renovated, we would give it a befitting look and the necessary ambience and conducive environment for seafarers coming into Nigeria, they would get the same service and attention that they get in other parts of the world.
“This would also help to increase the rating of our port. You shouldn’t come to Nigeria after staying thirty days on the vessel and still be forced to remain on the vessel for another four weeks, just because we do not have the necessary conducive environment.
“You are going to see activities happening here very soon, NPA is going to give the necessary support to Mission to Seafarers Lagos,” Bello-Koko assured
Also speaking, chairman of the Mission to Seafarers (MTS Lagos), Chief Adebayo Sarumi, said, Mission to Seafarers is a global organisation with centres established all over the world.
He, however, lamented that, the centre located in Nigeria is an eyesore, saying only NPA and a few other companies have been forthcoming.
“We appreciate the NPA for coming in to render this support, we understand the burden of it, it’s a lot of burden. NPA has always been in the vanguard of everything, a Port Community is a community that shares virtually everything, but it is now becoming only NPA carrying everything, and we are grateful to the managing director for not changing that perception
While speaking on the benefits of Nigeria having a befitting Seafarers Centre, he said, this would further lead to removal of the War Risk Insurance Premiums usually placed on seafarers, calling at Nigerian ports.
“Some of the Seafarers, when they are coming to places like Nigeria, they usually take war Risk Insurance Premiums on them as if they are going to the warfront, with this, there would not be such things again, and at the level of IMO, we would go with our head high, that we are one of the most welcoming ports of the world, when we say we want to seat in the Council, they would agree that indeed, Nigeria is a maritime nation.
“Bello-Koko management is getting it right, he is interpreting our dreams of what a modern port should look like,” Sarumi said.
