Oyetola, Mobereola lead maritime stakeholders to celebrate Nigerian Seafears
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, Minister of State, Labour and Productivity, Honourable Nkeiruka Onyejeocha and Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola will lead other stakeholders in the industry, including the head ITF seafarer’s Trust Fund , Katie Higginbottom, to mark the annual celebration of the Seafarers in Lagos.
The annual event instituted by the International Maritime Organization(IMO) and recognized by the United Nations, were meant to celebrate the Seafarers for their immense contributions to the global economy.
Speaking ahead of the event, Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola urged Nigerians to participate in this year’s celebrations, adding that the use of #SafetyTipsAtSea on all social media platforms will ensure adequate exposure to Nigeria’s celebration of the Seafarers Day in line with the Theme of the IMO.
NIMASA DG stated “Seafarers are the unsung heroes of our global economy, I will even describe them as the lifeblood of international trade, they sacrifice a lot for humanity’s existence as they leave their families for months for our sake.
” Let us celebrate their resilience, dedication, and the invaluable role they play in our world.
“This day belongs to them, let us use the Hashtag #SafetyTipsAtSea for all our social media posts so that Nigerian Seafarers will feel appreciated.”
The 2024 commemoration is another way to showcase the importance of Seafarers as essential workers and the IMO has set this date specifically for the celebration of these special occupations.
This year’s theme also aligns with the Agency’s initiative to protect Nigerian seafarers and create more opportunities for those willing to take a career in seafaring.
Accordingly, the 2024 campaign will look at seafarers’ contribution to making the maritime sector a safer workplace.
To celebrate this year’s Day of the Seafarer, (DoS) the IMO said it would ask the Seafarers to share their best safety tips at sea, whether it’s the gear they wear or the training they receive.
“As part of the campaign, we will be asking seafarers to share a picture of them in their working environment, highlighting how they keep their workplace safe” IMO Secretary General, Mr Arsenio Dominguez said.
The Day of the Seafarer, which holds 25th of June every year, was established in a resolution adopted by the 2010 Diplomatic Conference in Manila to adopt the revised STCW Convention.
Its purpose is to recognize the unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole.
The resolution “encourages Governments, shipping organizations, companies, shipowners and all other parties concerned to duly and appropriately promote the Day of the Seafarer and take action to celebrate it meaningfully”.
Day of the Seafarer is recognized by the United Nations as an observance day.
