The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has impounded the engines of six passengers’ boat operators in renewed efforts to sanitise waterways to avoid boat mishaps.
The LASWA General Manager, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, made the disclosure in a statement by the Public Affairs Officer of LASWA, Mrs Nkechi Ajayi, on Tuesday.
There have been some fatal accidents on Lagos waterways in recent times, the latest being July 29, which claimed more than 10 lives.
Emmanuel expressed LASWA’s commitment to continually ensure the safety of ferry passengers in the state.
According to him, the arrest of erring boat operators is part of the authority’s efforts in the ongoing enforcement and monitoring exercise across the inland waterways.
“The patrol team of Lagos State Waterways Authority earlier seized a total number of six boat engines belonging to commercial ferry operators that were caught flouting safety regulations on the waterways.
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“Their offences include: not wearing life jackets, overloading, reckless driving, among other offences which could have resulted in preventable fatalities when accidents occur,” the LASWA boss said.
He stated that the areas covered during the safety compliance operations were Mile 2, Kirirkiri, Abule Osun Jetty, Alex Jetty, Liverpool, Ebute-Ojo all in the Ojo axis of Lagos.
Emmanuel said the authority would no longer condone any action that would be against the safety standards of the state inland waterways.
“Any erring operator will be sanctioned appropriately,” the general manager added.
