The recurring boat mishaps in Lagos

The recent boat mishap at the Mazamaza area of the Mile 2 Inland Waterway Channel, which claimed the lives of over 17 people, has further raised safety concerns about water transportation in the country. The boat was going from Mile 2 to Ibeshe in the Ojo area of the state before the unfortunate incident occurred. The Mile 2 incident came on the heels of a similar one in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

Officials of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) revealed that the operators of the boat flouted the government’s prohibition of night travels and that neither the captain nor the passengers wore life jackets at the time of the accident.

It is sad that Lagos State has recorded many boat accidents in recent times. Tragic boat mishaps have also occurred in other parts of the country.

While the effort to boost water transportation in Lagos is commendable, the safety of passengers must be given the required attention. The time has come for the Lagos State government to strictly enforce the regulations guiding water transportation. Doing so will effectively curb the recurring boat mishaps in the state.

A situation where boat operators and even passengers flout safety rules in water transportation is not tidy. There is need for the relevant government agencies to enforce the use of life jackets by all passengers using the waterways. This is why the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) intends to introduce a new water transport code. According to the Area Manager of NIWA, Mrs Sarat Braimah, the water transport code, which was gazetted last month, would be strictly enforced in all riverine communities across the country.

Based on the new water transport code, operators of jetties who violate safety measures, such as overloading of boats, failure to use life jackets, and non-compliance to other waterways regulations, will bag seven years imprisonment.

It is commendable that the Lagos State government has set up a probe panel on the recent boat mishap, with a view to unearthing the immediate and remote causes of the incident. The outcome of the probe should be made public. The government should monitor the activities of boat operators. There is need to prosecute and punish those who flout waterways safety regulations.

While bad weather may lead to boat mishaps, in most cases, such accidents are due mainly to human errors. Overloading, disregard for safety guidelines and lack of boat maintenance constitute major causes of boat accidents.

It is also possible that inadequate infrastructure and manpower might have contributed to the recurring boat mishaps in Lagos and other states in the country. The attendant loss of lives can also be caused by late response by rescue teams, use of expired life jackets and lack of professionalism on the part of some boat operators. For safety in water transportation, government must strictly enforce all safety regulations. Let government ban the use of rickety boats in water transportation. Logs of wood and other obstacles on the waterways must be removed. The use of life jackets must be made mandatory for all passengers and the boat operators.

In the light of frequent boat mishaps across the country, there is urgent need to train and retrain all operators in the nation’s waterways, with a view to enhancing their skills and safety in the sector. We call for adequate funding of NIWA and LASWA to enable them discharge their functions effectively.

Water transportation can only be made more attractive to Nigerians if adequate safety measures are put in place. The modernisation of water transportation, which is long overdue, will be given the needed attention. Let there be more investments in the sector. The development of water transportation will reduce the pressure on Nigerian roads. Since water transportation is viable in many states of the country, it has become necessary to revamp it with emphasis on safety.