The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) geared toward selling the psychological well being and wellbeing of Nigerian seafarers and cadets by means of coaching, consciousness and capability constructing.
This was the excessive level of a three-day Seafarers’ and Cadets’ Wellbeing Awareness and Train the Trainers Programme with the theme, “Stress: Understanding, Early Management and Coping,” organised by NIMASA in collaboration with the ITF.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola disclosed that the partnership would help capability constructing and the mixing of the wellbeing module into maritime coaching curricula, with plans to make seafarer wellbeing a everlasting element of preparations for all times at sea.
Represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Jibril Abba, he mentioned “seafarers’ wellbeing is essential to safe shipping and NIMASA is committed to protecting maritime workers’ welfare. This programme would equip maritime training institutions, Agency officers and union partners with the skills to identify and manage stress and provide psychological first aid when necessary”.
He emphasised the significance of addressing the psychological challenges related to life at sea, together with stress, nervousness, despair and burnout. Citing a 2019 examine commissioned by the ITF in collaboration with Yale University, he famous that one in 4 seafarers surveyed confirmed indicators of despair, whereas roughly one in six exhibited indicators of hysteria.
Also talking, the ITF Africa Regional Secretary, Mr Safiyanu Dauda Mohammed, who signed the MoU on behalf of ITF famous that this MoU was the primary of its type that the ITF was going into with any nation in Africa.
According to him, “it is very exciting for me because it is the first in Africa, and we are starting with Nigeria. Seafarers are very critical workers in the maritime sector. So it is very important to prioritise their wellbeing and welfare, to mitigate their anxiety and depression”.
In his remarks, the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Francis Bunu applauded the event saying “we need seafarers to be mentally sound while doing their job and that is why today is a very significant day for the seafarer in Nigeria”.
