JUST IN: Reps outline measures to stop boat accidents on waterways

House of Representatives has urged the National Orientation Agency (NoA) and the National Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to commence a general awareness campaign on safety measures necessary to prevent boat and watercraft hazards.

The House also called on the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to devise new strategic regulatory guidelines to improve the search and rescue measures.

The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion by Hon. Rodney Ebikebina Ambaiowei who solicited for the House intervention with a view to ensuring adequate security of lives and property.

In his lead debate, Ambaiowei noted that Nigeria’s coastline spanned about 853km (530 miles) and over 3000km of navigable inland water channel with great potential for inland cargo and passenger transportation.

He expressed concern that recently the media was awash with the sad news of numerous numbers of Nigerian citizens perishing as a result of various boat mishaps on the coastlines and waterways across the country.

He said: “The Inland Waterways cuts across 23 states out of 36 states while boat mishaps continue to rise astronomically.

“Recently in Bayelsa State on the 6th April 2023, there was a tragic boat mishap at Okoroma Community along Brass waterways in Brass Local Government Area. Sadly, not less than five dead bodies were recovered while several persons are still missing. Also another Boat mishap was recorded along Otuam and Anyama River in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area where a female youth corps member and five others lost their lives.

“On Saturday 24th June 2023, in Egbu Village in Patigi Local Government area of Kwara State, a boat with 250 people traveling for wedding event capsized and about 144 victims were rescued. In Kaduna, 10 students of Victory International secondary school got drowned in a river with just two of them rescued. In Kano State, in 2021, a boat with 47 people capsized with 20 people dead. In Niger State, a boat from Lokon carrying more than 160 people capsized at Warrah Ngaski. In Birrnin Kebbi, 97 bodies were recovered as a result of a boat mishap.

“In Calabar on the 24th June 2023, 3 out of 14 medical students who have converged at medical school, Calabar for 2023 Nigerian Medical Association Health week got drowned when their boat capsized on water ways. The boat was reportedly derailed due to high waves as soon as it left for Marina Resort jetty. The casualties would have been more if not for the prompt intervention of the Divers from the Nigerian Navy.

“The absence of regulatory guidelines for boat building maintenance and operations in Nigeria coastlines and waterways and issues that come into play regarding vessels operations that could result in accidents, death and injuries include alcohol use; excessive speed; failure to vent; improper lookouts; inadequate on board navigation lights; navigation rules violation; operators’ inexperience and inattention, illiteracy and non-challenge attitude of boat operators are common courses of most of the boat mishaps in Nigeria.

“The economic benefit of waterways transportation and its activities are responsible for a wide range of indirect value–added and employment effects through linkages of transport with other economic sectors.

“If the above-identified challenges are not addressed forthwith as patriotic and worthy Nigerians, the plethora of deaths and insecurity being recorded daily in Nigeria’s coastlines and waterways could skyrocket thereby having serious negative impact on our socio- economic development which will definitely be against the vision of the new administration.”

Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committee on NIMASA (when constituted) to take a cue from the Netherlands, understudy them to know how their boats and water crafts in their coastlines and waterways transportation system runs with minimal casualties.