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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has charged
the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to come up new strategic guidelines ensure safety on coastal lines and waterways in the country.
The House also charged the National Orientation Agency ( NOA) and National Meteorological Agency to commence
awareness campaign on safety measures necessary to prevent boat and water craft hazards.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rodney Ambaiowei on “tackling the menace of incessant boat/water craft mishaps in Nigerian oastal lines/waterways.
Ambaiowei, in lead debate, informed the House that the country’s “coastline spans about 853km (530miles) and over 3000km of navigable inland water channel with great potential for inland cargo and passenger transportation. ”
However, the lawmaker stated that over the years, there have been repeated cases of criminality, including illegal oil bunkering, piracy and sea robbery and illegal fishing activities amongst others, on the waterways. He added that there have also be several deaths on the waterways arising from boat mishaps, across the country.
According to him, ” the absence of regulatory guidelines for boat building maintenance and operations in Nigeria coastlines and waterways, ” as well as inadequate on board navigation lights; navigation rules violation; operators’ inexperience and inattention, illiteracy and non-chalant attitude of boat operators are common courses of most of the boat mishaps”.
Ambaiowei posited ” that 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.”
Nevertheless, the lawmaker expressed worry that if the “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. ”
