Bola Oyebanji, managing director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has identified human errors, drugs and violation to the rules and regulations as the major causes of boat mishaps in the past three years.
Oyebanji disclosed this while fielding questions from the House Representatives Committee members on NIWA, who were on oversight function at the headquarters of the authority in Lokoja on Wednesday.
He pointed that about 99 percent of mishaps on the waterways were as a result of human errors, noting that research has shown that the operators are committing avoidable mistakes, while some operators lived on drugs to make them high and eventually make unpardonable mistakes.
Oyabanji pointed out that some operators are repugnant to following rules and regulations , stressing that wooden boats often take over 150 to 200 passengers, which is above limit.
Read also: NIWA phases out wooden boats, deploy 350 safety marshals to end mishaps
He called for revalidation of the transportation code as operators have not been strictly following the code, while some are not providing required life jackets for their passengers, due to the fact that the regulation code provides for a N30,000 penalty for the offenders.
Speaking, Ojema Ojotu, chairman, House Committee on NIWA, who led seven members to Lokoja, explained that the inland waterways are an integral part of Nigeria’s transportation framework, offering immense potential for enhancing connectivity, reducing road congestion, and stimulating economic growth.
“As representatives of the people, it is our duty to ensure that this potential is harnessed effectively for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“This visit provides us with the platform to scrutinize critical areas such as operational efficiency, safety on our waterways, infrastructure development, and the overall management of resources allocated to NIWA.
“We recognize the unique challenges associated with managing waterways, including the recurring issues of boat mishaps, flooding in vulnerable regions along the waterways, and the demand for modernized infrastructure such as inland ports and navigable channels. As we deliberate today, it is imperative to consider how these challenges can be addressed to enhance safety, efficiency, and economic viability,” he said.
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