“The refloating of a new NNSL will be a mirage if the retired Seafarers, who worked tirelessly with a deep sense of patriotism for the country are not given their due rights after 28 years they left service of the national carrier vessels.

“This will only amount to human injustice of the highest order.

“It will also be tantamount to placing the cart before the horse if such proposition is in the pipeline without first thinking of the aged Seafarers” Adeyanju declared in the statement.

He recalled that he had recently met with  Oyetola at a function in Lagos where he confronted him with the enormous task before him, including the payment of the disengaged seafarers but said he was surprised that the minister was silent on this important matter when he announced the decision to refloat the moribund national shipping carrier.

“The Union now has a different view of the Minister when he did not speak about the aged Seafarers who navigated with the moribund national carrier vessels over the new NNSL proposal”

Adeyanju said the continued silence of previous ministers, including Oyetola, on the issue of payment of the entitlements of the disengaged seafarers is worrisome and disheartening but vowed that the union will not fold its arms and watch the aged seafarers dehumanized.

“We, as a Labour Union, will not sit aloof and keep watching our aged Seafarers continue suffering unnecessary penury after meritorious years of service to their fatherland.

“it’s true that some of the aged Seafarers have died from various types of ailments, some from psychological torture and trauma; mental degradation, abject poverty and so much more that has weighed them down in depression.

“It would be recalled that the former Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, did set up a committee involving two ministries, the Ministry of Transportation and Labour Ministry respectively.

“The said committee was charged with the responsibility of carrying out physical verification exercise of the aged Seafarers, which the Union thought would have brought some sort of succour; but the story is still the same.

“It’s indeed unfortunate to say here that the committee has never met.

 “So, where do we go from here, when you want to refloat the NNSL with no consideration for the Seafarers who served the defunct carrier vessels?

“This is unheard of anywhere globally, therefore, the assertion for a  new NNSL is a mirage in its conception, except the needful is done” the union declared in the statement.

“Therefore, the Union’s position as far as the new ministry is concerned cannot function without the inclusion of MWUN in all its ramifications; hence, the Union must be part of the policy process, which must be seen to conforming with the rules of social inclusion and collaboration, because the blue economy must be seen to strengthening social equity order, hence, our disposition, given the aged Seafarers debacle which is yet to receive serious attention.”

Adeyanju, who doubles as the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’ said he had before asked the Minister to look into the nagging issue of the Seafarers to see how he could bring it to a logical conclusion.

“However, Comrade Adeyanju also promised the Minister of the Union’s support towards making sure that the nation will achieve much in the sector in his tenure; but also frowned at the Minister’s projection on the refloating of a new NNSL when he visited Lagos recently without putting into cognisance the plight of the disengaged aged Seafarers, who were parts and parcels of the defunct carrier as it were.

“It will be unkind to the Union to hear any assertion by the Minister regarding a new NNSL  without carrying along the previously disengaged Seafarers concerning their entitlements which have not been fully settled” the statement concluded