NIWA commits to ending accidents on Lagos waterways

As part of efforts to curb accidents on waterways, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has invested and mounted life buoys on Lagos brown waters from Marina to Ikorodu.

This is even as there is an ongoing phase two of the project from Marina to Badagry.

Managing Director of NIWA, Dr George Moghalu, while inspecting the project in Lagos, said the apex regulatory agency on brown water economy will leave no stone unturned in its quest to ensure accident-free water transportation in the country.

He further informed that safety on waterways as a major mandate of NIWA would be pursued with vigor under his watch as a process to engender confidence among water transportation operators and users, and also to attract local and foreign investment.

Speaking after inspecting the navigational buoys, Moghalu noted that the Lagos template, geared towards activating a national water transportation safety architecture will further help in emergency rescue operations and provide distressed boats an anchor before help arrives, thus eliminating incidences of crafts drifting on mid waters.

Moghalu who was accompanied by Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Sarat Lara Braimah and President, Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) Ganiyu Balogun, assured that NIWA will not fail in its responsibilities to enthrone enduring accident-free water transportation signature across littoral states in Nigeria.

The ATBOWATON boss commended the NIWA initiative, while urging the agency to make water transportation safe and attractive for all end users.

“At the last stakeholders meeting last year in Lagos, the NIWA MD promised to ensure a navigable Lagos waterways through provision of buoys, which would not only serve as an anchor point for distressed boat operators, but will help provide access and geographical location to rescue efforts and today, we have seen that promised fulfilled and we say more grease to his elbows,” he stated.