Section 144: Advances restricted

(1)
Where an agreement with the crew is required to be made in a prescribed form, the agreement shall contain:
(a)
a stipulation for payment to or on behalf of the seaman, conditionally on his going to sea in pursuance of the agreement, of a sum not exceeding the amount of one month's wages payable to the seaman under the agreement; and
(b)
stipulations for the allotment of a seaman's wages in accordance with this part of this Act.
(2)
Except as stated in subsection (1) of this section, an agreement by or on behalf of the employer of a seaman for the payment of money to or on behalf of the seaman conditionally on his going to sea from any port in Nigeria shall be void, and any money paid in satisfaction or in respect of any such agreement shall not be deducted from the seaman's wages and no person has any right of action, suit or setoff against the seaman or his assignee in respect of any money so paid or purported to have been so paid.