Boat mishaps: NIWA moves to end menace; deploys boat inspectors on waterways
Boat mishaps: NIWA moves to end menace; deploys boat inspectors on waterways
Segun Oladipupo
In a move to end the incessant boat mishaps on the inland waterways, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has embarked on routine checks on boats plying the waterways.
The waterways regulator also promised to engage dredgers to avoid littering the waterways with wrecks and pipes that may lead to accidents.
Speaking with journalists at a training program organised for boat captains and deckans, Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Sarat Omolara Braimah speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of NIWA, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, fumed over non observance of the regulations by operators.
She said, ” We have told them that we want all the captains in the Lagos inland waterways be trained because training is key and that will guide them to know the right from wrong on the waterways
“We have told them not to be sailing at night. Actually, 70 percent of night sailing is not in lagos. We have also told them to give us information wherever they see wrecks on the waterways so that they can be removed immediately.
“We have told them to get life buoy for their boats so that if there’s accident, six people can hold on to it because people are always afraid of water if there is incident but if you see that something is holding your hand, the panic will be reduced.”
Speaking on the causes of accidents, she said that the agency would call the dredgers to order as well as discuss with them on the way forward.
“Some of these wrecks are caused by dredgers. We know all the dredgers on the Lagos inland waterways, we will call them and tell them what to do on the wrecks and the pipes.
“So, with all these, we should be able to have a safer waterways, that is our target. I have told them that henceforth, our inspectors will be going out once every quarter to make sure that the boats are all seaworthy.”
On the standard of boats plying the Lagos inland waterways, she said the Authority has deployed the service of inspectors to monitor the boats saying anyone that is not qualified would not be allowed to pay the waterways.
The Area Manager added that NIWA is praying that part of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) be made available to the boat operators because according to her, most of the boats plying the waterways are rickety and the operators cannot afford new ones because of the high costs.
Her words, “Prior to now, all the boats in Ikorodu axis have been inspected and all the ones that are qualified are allowed for now and the ones that are not, will not be allowed to move. We are working together with the Marine Police.
“We are praying that the CVFF is made available to that National Inland Waterways too so that we can at least, we can help boat operators by giving them on instalment basis to pay back to the government.
“To be candid, most of these boats are old and most of the boat owners do not have the funds to buy good boats so government has to come in and form a cooperative so that we will know we are dealing with cooperative
“It could be that NIWA will work with BOI so that they will be the one to collect the money oney back so that it will be easy. Without this, they cannot do it and we don’t want to continue to receive ourselves
“Most of these boats are not more than N7 million but to get a good boat is not less than N70 million, so government has to come in. That is why NIWA is pleading for that fund so that they too will be able to access it.,” she submitted.
