The Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has reiterated the importance of safe inland waterways ferry services in growing the blue economy potential of countries in Africa.
Speaking at the end of MOWCA recently held Regional Workshop on Safety of Inland Waterways and Passenger Ferries in Libreville, Republic of Congo, Adalikwu said Africa’s marine endowments are capable of supporting economic development by promoting seamless, safe and convenient transportation along coastal areas on the continent, if properly harnessed.
The MOWCA SG called on governments to ensure adherence to safety standards in the operation of ferries as a first step measure to prevent deaths caused by accidents.
Dr. Adalikwu who identified unserviceable crafts, overloading, non usage of life jacket, weather conditions and wrecks along navigable channels, as some challenges, called on African governments to invest in training and retraining of crew members, as well as onshore and offshore staff on safety.
According to him, the vast wrecks in most waterways causing marine accidents could be recycled for economic benefits after removal to ensure conservation of the marine ecosystem
He added that it has become imperative for all tiers of government from the federal, state and down to local authorities to pay attention to marine safety as the severally reported cases of deaths were attributable to non adherence to safety measures including traveling at night where there are no lights to illuminatng the waterways leaving high chances of fatal collision.
The SG said “MOWCA accident statistics have shown a rising trend of reported marine accidents in the waterways and we believe these are preventable when we increase our education, sensitisation, procurement of safety materials and gadgets backed with necessary enforcement
“There are years where zero aviation accident is recorded in most counties in West and Central Africa but we cannot say the same thing about the marine sector, especially with regards to inland waterways.
“I hereby call on governments at all levels to pay close attention to safety even on smaller crafts powered by outboard engines. Ferry boat operators should not be allowed to risk their lives and the lives of the passengers they carry
“Our inland waterways are critical for trade, social development and tourism within the various countries in Africa and trans border commercial activities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) , it should therefore come under state spotlight for security and safety
“The incessant loss of lives and property from ferry accidents in the sub-region and in particular the Esther Miracle ferry accident that occurred in Gabon in on 8th March 2023, and several other cases in other countries have necessitated the need for this workshop
This event was part of the MOWCA-IMO Joint Action Plan (JAP) on cooperation and collaboration between the two maritime organisations” he said
The workshop which held from July 15 to July 18, 2024, drew participants from nine countries and had resource persons from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF).
Participating countries were Central Africa Republic, Gabon,The Gambia, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, The Republic of Congo, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Togo.
His Excellency Mr Raymond Ndong Sima, Prime Minister, Head of the Congolese Transition Government declared the workshop open and had dignitaries in attendance including Navy Captain Loic Moudouma Ndinga, Minister of Transport, Merchant Marine and the Sea, Republic of Gabon; Marco Yamaguchi, Division Manager, Infrastructure & Urban Development, Transport and Logistics Division, African Development Bank (AfDB)
The three (3) day workshop which was moderated by Capt. Sidney Direndi of the Merchant Marine and Chief Agu Chukwuemeka Cajetan, Maritime Consultant and a former Director at the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) comprised of topical presentations by the three lead speakers, Dr. Anish Hebbar of the World Maritime University Malmo, Sweden, Capt. Dallas Lareya, IMO Regional Coordinator for West and Central Sub‑Region of Africa and Capt. Mohammed Drissi, Africa Coordinator, International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF).
The speakers underscored the critical significance of the workshop’s theme and stressed the collective duty of the maritime community to prioritize the safety of inland waterways and passenger ferries.
They emphasized the need for a comprehensive assessment of legislative deficiencies in safety and security, along with proposing solutions to addressing them.
