Annoyed by the continuous boat accidents on the waterways, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has announced an immediate ban on loading activities from all unauthorised loading points nationwide.
The Director General of NIWA, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, directed that no commercial passenger boat would be allowed to load from any point other than those officially recognised and registered by NIWA.
The DG, while announcing the new directives during a press conference in Abuja, also instructed that all commercial boat operators must mandatorily provide lifejackets and ensure their use at all times. Additionally, passenger boats are required to properly display their boat name letters and load lines.
It is worth recalling that the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy recently distributed 45,000 lifejackets to 12 states to safeguard lives during boat mishaps. The DG expressed concern that despite efforts by the federal government to ensure the safety of lives on the waterways, boat operators and passengers alike have been non-cooperative.
He narrated how a community in Sokoto State recently beat up a NIWA marshal for preventing them from embarking on a journey due to poor weather. “The boat eventually capsized and about 100 lives were lost”, he lamented.
Oyebamiji stated that although the authority has about 400 marshals stationed across the inland waterways, they are inadequate and often overpowered by the community people.
He stated that to strengthen their operation further and reduce boat incidents on the Waterways, the National Assembly should urgently pass the bill for the establishment of coastguards to effectively secure Nigeria’s inland waterways
He said, “We we can do more if the proposed Coastal Guards for Inland Waterways are established and operational.
The Authority believes that an important operational tool such as the Coastal Guards will go a long way in strengthening its enforcement efforts for better results. We therefore plead with the National Assembly to look into this direction.”
As part of the enforcement measures, the DG also ordered the removal of all unlicensed boats and watercraft from the nation’s waterways. Unlicensed boat drivers and operators have also been barred from operating.
He called on states, particularly those in riverine areas, to collaborate with NIWA in enhancing waterways through safety campaigns, training of boat operators, procurement and distribution of lifejackets, provision of landing platforms, and deployment of modern passenger ferries.
While mentioning that boat incidents have decreased by 70 per cent during the current administration, the DG stated that emerging challenges require a sophisticated enforcement approach. Therefore, through the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, NIWA has engaged with relevant security agencies to support its efforts on safety enforcement.
He stated that in the future, they will collaborate more with the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy, particularly as it relates to the enforcement of the ban on overloading, night sailing (No passenger movement between 6 pm and 6 am), and compulsory usage of lifejackets on water.
