Stop usage of wooden boats on Nigeria’s waterways, students tell FG

Following the last month’s tragic boat mishap in Niger State, which claimed over 50 lives, the National Association of Polytechnic Students has put forward a five-point demand to the Federal Government for the immediate scrapping of wooden boats as a means of transportation on the nation’s waterways to be replaced with modern, safer vessels.

At a Press Conference held in Lokoja, Kogi State Capital, the student body pointed out that the demands were part of a broader call for enhanced safety measures and improved infrastructure to prevent future tragedies.

Agada Noah ,NAPS Secretary General, who expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and called for accountability for those responsible for causing boat accidents.

He said, “The National Association of Polytechnic Students mourns the tragic loss of lives in the recent boat mishap, which is a painful reminder of the recurring boat accidents across the country -many of which are preventable”.

He highlighted the human factors contributing to such accidents, including negligence, lack of adherence to safety protocols, alcohol use, and sailing at night without headlamps.

Read also: NIWA phases out wooden boats, deploy 350 safety marshals to end mishaps

In addition, poor infrastructure, inadequate emergency response systems, and the use of substandard or overloaded vessels by boat operators were cited as contributing factors.

“It is crucial to tackle the root causes of these preventable accidents. Stakeholders must enforce stricter regulations on boat operators, ensure regular maintenance of vessels, and impose penalties for non -compliance with safety standards”.

The students called for increased budgetary allocation to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to enable it to meet its statutory obligations effectively, urged the National Assembly to legislate for these increased allocations, focusing on enhancing safety infrastructure, emergency response equipment and the recruitment of more trained personnel, adding that grassroots sensitisation is important.

“The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, HE Adegboyega Oyetola, and the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, FCIB, deserve commendation for their efforts in adopting and implementing Nigeria’s Water Transportation Code into reality.

“However, this is just the beginning. We need sustained commitment and investment to ensure safer waterways.
“While we acknowledge the National Inland Waterways Authority’s efforts to sensitize riverine communities and boat users, we call on the Federal and State Governments, legislators, and relevant agencies to intensify safety awareness campaigns,” Noah said.