The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) boosts its operations in Rivers State with the launch of Passengers Assurance Scheme
By Chinedu Ogu
Commuters along sea routes in Rivers State now have cause to smile, because they now have a ray of hope for compensation in case of any disaster or mishap in the sea.
The new development, Tentacle can authoritatively reveal is as the result of the launching of a Passengers Liability Assurance Scheme by Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
Tentacle gathered that the scheme is an initiative of the Union’s National Executive, led by its President General, Francis Bunu, to ensure that the risks of travelling on sea routes are minimized.
Speaking at the unveiling of the scheme at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe Water Front in Port Harcourt, Chairman of the Port Harcourt Commercial District of MWUN, Comrade Israel Waribo Pepple, said the scheme was designed to accommodate scenes of loss to passengers in case of accidents and unforeseen along the waterways.
“This is to assure passengers that their safety and comfort is greatly important to the Union (drivers) and thus help to build confidence in them to continue to use our services,” he said.
Comrade Pepple acknowledged the continued threats of sea-piracy, kidnapping and outright armed attacks on seaways, but assured that from the very recent experience, security agencies concerned had been working hard to flush away sea pirates and hoodlums so as to ensure that use of the waterways for both travels and livelihood is safe.
The MWUN boss went ahead to commend the Marine Police, Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Joint Military Task Force (JTF) for their combined efforts to ensure safety of passengers and other seafarers. President of the Rivers State chapter of MWUN, who also represented the President General, described the scheme as a landmark development that would boost confidence in commuters along the waterways.
It was learnt that the scheme is in partnership with Multijanc Concepts Limited as Consultants. Giving more insights on the scheme, the Head of Bancassurace of Coronation Life Assurance Limited said Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) guarantees safety of passengers on the waterways.
Okara Nwolu, who represented the Managing Director/CEO of Coronation Life Assurance Limited, Adebowale Adesona, commended Rivers State for pioneering an initiative in the Maritime Sector that would later run through all the littoral states of the country, adding that the scheme is to ensure the safety and well-being of Rivers Passengers and all other users of the waterways.
He explained that the initiative will have passengers contribute a little premium of N100.00 to finance the policy each time they travel by sea, but they will benefit greatly in case of any mishaps or accidents, where in for deaths and permanent disabilities, the policy operators would receive N500,000 each, while N50,000 would be for those injured (medical expenses).
Nwolu further informed that the financial institution backing the Coronation Life Assurance Limited is solid and that all users of the policy should be assured that no matter the level of claims, they would be paid, as approved after due investigation.
Representative of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Sunday Nyenwe, expressed the hope that the scheme would be sustainable and not a flash in the pan. He assured all that the NIWA will closely monitor the scheme to ensure that it works according to the expectations of the general public. He advised the managers of the scheme to be transparent and honest in all their dealings to ensure confidence and patronage of commuters.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Rivers State, Engr. Dagogo Inimgba charged stakeholders, passengers, drivers, union members, security agencies, NIWA and others to observe the required terms for the effective implementation and possibly institutionalize the scheme in matters of riverine transportation.
The Permanent Secretary further commended the initiators of the scheme for making Rivers State the pioneer. He further added that his ministry will work in synergy with other stakeholders to ensure the scheme is sustainable.
He further disclosed that the Ministry of Transport remains open to persons, organizations or stakeholders that have schemes that will assist the Rivers State Government in its policy and programmes gear towards improving sea transportation.
Stakeholders who spoke to Tentacle said they received the news of the scheme with great joy and prayed that the initiative will usher in other schemes aim at improving and making waterways travelling safe and enjoyable in Rivers State.
A member of Bonny Indigenous Transportation Association (BITA), who pleaded anonymity, told Tentacle that the scheme is a laudable project but doubt the sincerity of those that will implement it. According to him in the recent past they had similar schemes which failed woefully.
But another Maritime Worker, Ebiere Tonye, disagrees, saying that he does not entertain any fear over whether the scheme will work or not. He explained that he has strong conviction that the project is a step in the right direction and calls all to support the scheme for the interest of passengers that have lost so much in mishaps and accidents without any succor or compensation in any form coming to their way.
