Boat mishaps: LASWA partners neighbourhood safety agency for jetties, waterways monitoring 

…launches waterways monitoring media centre

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has partnered with the Neighbourhood safety agency for close monitoring of waterways activities beyond operational hours of water transportation.

This is coming after two incidents of boat mishap were recorded on the Lagos inland waterways in recent time.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday, the General Manager of LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel enthused that the partnership with the Neighbourhood safety agency and launch of its waterways monitoring and data management centre, would make monitoring of boat operators an easy task for the agency.

According to Emmanuel, the media centre covers the length of the Lagos inland waterways and that the centre is covering every strategic location it should cover.

When asked about the recent two boat mishaps on Lagos inland waterways, the LASWA boss said, “Let’s start with the fact that in the last nine months, there was no incident before these two incidents happened back to back.

“There were two incidents but thank God that significant number of lives were saved in the first incident, the second one was blatant violation of all the rules of the waterways.

“So, for us what we have been able to put in place in increased monitoring and patrolling through our personnel and patrol team.

“We Also partnering with Neighbourhood safety agency to be able to monitor those jetties and surrounding areas beyond the operational hours of water transportation.

“So if they notice any activity in 5hat area, they can quickly call out attention and we can quickly move to enforce whatever infraction or violation occuring at that particular point in time.

“The launch of our waterways monitoring and data management centre. It is very easy for us to monitor anyone breaking the rules and regulations.

“Right now, it is covering every single expanse and we will expand even as the waterways expand but where we are right now, it is covering the strategic location we should cover,” he maintained.