Maritime Merchant Navy to check abuse of uniform, identity cards Friday, 21 June 2013 03:08 AUGUSTINE NWADINAMUO In an attempt to arrest the frequent abuse of its uniform by unauthorized people, the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has said that plans are under way to clamp down on individuals who parade themselves as Merchant Navy, adding that it is setting up of a taskforce committee to ensure that the illicit act is checkmated. The seafaring body also its readiness in ensuring that any other identity card different from the one issued by her should be seen as fake adding that the era of abuse on her uniform will soon be a thing of the past. Addressing journalists in Lagos recently, National President of the association, Engineer Matthew Alalade said that following the security challenges in the nation, there is the need to monitor and control the usage of the uniform which is similar to that of the Nigerian Navy. Alalade who spoke on behalf the National Executive Council (NEC) of the merchant navy outfit at the briefing said that the body has never instructed members to abuse the uniform adding that most individuals that parade the streets with the uniforms are fake. “We have instructed all our men and officers to always put on name tag with Nigerian Merchant inscription beneath it for easy identification to differentiate us from Nigeria Navy and the duty tag are restricted to only our taskforce officers and all other officers and men are expected to have our national identity card” , president said. The president warned members of the society to be vigilant on the use of the gear even as he solicited support and cooperation from all the Nigerian security agencies to tackle the challenges of abuse of the uniform. “We solicit the support and cooperation of all Nigeria security agencies especially the Nigeria Navy to always contact us whenever there are issues concerning our men and officers”, he added. He also disclosed that the Central Working Committee (CWC) which is the apex body of the association is working aggressively with National Executive Council (NEC) to set up a taskforce committee to tackle the challenges. According to him, the Nigerian Merchant gave birth to Nigerian Navy as part of effort to protect merchant vessels from pirate and sea robbery attack at sea pointing out that the association is not in contention with the navy of protecting the territorial waters and waterways of the nation. Speaking further to clarify the issue of the said uniform, the merchant navy boss stressed that” our officers uses emblem with black background in diamond form, our cap badge carries gold and silver eagle on the crest, our uniform buttons carries anchor only, our officers uses gadget with blue background and our merchant navy uniform carries the inscription Merchant Navy on top of the breast pocket”, Alalade explained. Also speaking at the NEC meeting, Assistant Secretary General of the association, Comrade John Okpono said there has been a cordial relationship between the Nigerian navy and the merchant navy adding that individuals that parades themselves as navy is the major problem which needs urgent attention to be tackle. The scribe stressed the incessant arrest on individuals who parade themselves as merchant navy by security agencies of government has given rise for the need to nip it in the bud. He said that anyone without the new identity card of the association must be discarded because the association is the only body gazette by law. He added that the merchant navy is not a regimental outfit but the fake guys go about parading themselves as an enforcement body of the government. Okpono also added that the training of members do not go beyond the normal para military drills adding that they are not entitled to carry arms. According to him, merchant navy is a discipline and certificate oriented profession. On his part, Training commander of the association, Yakubu Emmanuel said the body has a role to play and that in addition to the taskforce which is in the pipeline there will consistent training of members. He said that body will continue to carry out re-orientation of merchant navy in the society distinct from the navy.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 15:23:42 +0000
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