By Hauwa AlI
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has blamed boys at mishaps in the country on boat operators for lack of adhering to the basic safety guidelines of wearing life jackets and avoiding overloading.
Spokesman, NIWA, Malam Jibril Darda’u, stated this to newsmen while reacting to the recent sad incident that claimed over 10 lives in Ogbaru , Anambra state.
“It is with shock and sadness that NIWA commiserates with the people and government of Anambra over the mishap at Umnnakwo, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra, which consumed 10 lives.
“The boat mishap was described as a mechanical and human error”, he stated.
Darda’u further stated that a report from NIWA’s office in Onitsha, Anambra State, showed that the wooden boat involved in the accident had 48 passengers on board when it took off.
But only one of the 48 occupants of the boat wore a life jacket and survived the accident, he added.
“At a point, the outboard engine developed a mechanical fault and could not restart.
“All efforts by the captain of the boat to restart the engine proved abortive and at that point, the wave of the river started to pull the boat backward towards a bridge linking Umunnakwo and Ossomala.
“Some of the passengers who could swim jumped into the river for safety, while others tried to push the boat away from the bridge.
“Those that could not swim were trapped in the boat and out of fear, they all moved to one side of the boat.
“And as soon as the boat collided with the bridge, it capsized leaving 10 women and children dead.
“Thirty-eight of the passengers, including five children were rescued alive,’’ Darda’u stated.
Darda’u stressed that NIWA had continually distributed free life jackets to boat operators and Associations in 23 area offices nationwide.
The Authority, he said, also conducts sensitisation campaigns and training for boat operators and waterways users on the importance of adhering to safety guidelines, he stated.
