TRANSPORT DAY EDITORIAL
In a landmark move to enhance safety on Nigeria’s inland waterways, the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, last month, officially flagged off the distribution of 42,000 life jackets to waterway users across 12 selected riverine states. The initiative, flagged off at a ceremony in Minna, Niger State, is aimed at curbing the alarming rate of boat mishaps and fatalities in the country’s riverine areas.
Each of the beneficiary states will receive 3,500 life jackets in the first phase of this strategic safety intervention by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. The initiative is one of the most comprehensive federal responses in recent times to the persistent loss of lives on Nigeria’s waterways.
“This event transcends mere ceremony; it embodies our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians who rely daily on our inland waterways,” Oyetola said in his address, emphasizing that the life jackets distribution is a proactive, life-saving response to the recurring boat accidents.
By all standards, we must say that this is one of the best moves by the ministry in collaboration with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Nonetheless, the federal government should ensure that aside the nine coastal states that border the Atlantic Ocean- Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Rivers, other riverine states should also benefit from the gesture.
We also advise the government at all levels to carry out enlightenment campaigns to let the people, especially those travelling by water, know more about the importance of life jacket. Mechanism to ensure strict compliance to use of life jackets should also be strengthened.
