The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji, has identified human factor as the major cause of boat mishaps in the country.
According to the MD, human factors such as Overloading, traveling in the night, usage of misfit vessels and traveling without life jackets constitute the major causative factors surrounding boat mishaps and maritime related casualties in the country.
The MD made these remarks in a media parley with journalists in Lagos today.
He added that “Within one year, NIWA, through the supervisory effort of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Gboyega Oyetola, CON, has a new Water Transportation Code, 2023.
“Within the same period, we have deployed several operational assets including 15 boats of varying capacities and uses to promote efficiency and service delivery. Similarly, we have provided greater incentives to our workers through the official commissioning of several capital projects to promote a better working environment.
“Not only this, we have continued to treat the welfare of our workers as a priority always”.
The MD however noted that ” despite the aforementioned, there is a sore point that has always put NIWA in a bad light. The twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways always overshadow every gain recorded by NIWA whenever it happens”.
He nonetheless said “To confront this headlong, we have reconsidered our safety campaign approach to focus more on the grassroots using community resources. Within one year, NIWA has carried out more grassroots safety campaign than at any other time within the same period.
“Also, we have deployed water marshals across different loading and offloading points in the country. It may interest you to know that within three months of its launch, we have increased the number of our water marshals from 80 to 350 personnel.
“Recently, these officers were directed to commence 24-hour surveillance within selected locations to arrest the ugly incident of night travel and overloading”.
The NIWA Boss recalled that “just yesterday in Abuja, we gathered the critical stakeholders in a meeting for several hours to evaluate the current challenges on inland waterways transportation and find possible solutions.
“The meeting which had in attendance the Honourable Commissioners of Transportation from more than 24 states, among other groups, highlighted several important measures that must be taken to arrest the twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways.
“Of note, is the need to increase the level of awareness and campaign within the sector. Hence this meeting. We urge you, as opinion shapers, to partner with NIWA, in its mission to promote safer waterways through media advocacy.
“This is important to us because, of all the causes of accidents on our waterways, human error takes the lead”.
The MD explained further that “A further evaluation reveals that poor attitude and blatant disregard for safety protocol account for the greatest cause of boat mishaps.
“We therefore call on you to join us in educating our people on the need to be safety conscious always”.
