The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says the authority is putting measures in place to avoid the reoccurance of boat mishaps in the country.
The Managing Director of NIWA, Dr George Moghalu said this at a news conference on Tuesday, following the recent boat mishap in Niger State.
According to Moghalu, boat mishaps are mainly as a result of mechanical, human and natural factors such as overloading, careless driving, speeding, negligence, turbulent weather and wreckages.
He said that night sailing, untrained boat drivers and flagrant disregard for safety regulations among others were major causes of boat mishaps.
Moghalu noted that NIWA being the regulator of the Inland Waterways Transportation System had, however, initiated measures aimed at addressing the menace of boat mishaps in Nigeria.
”The most important of the measures is the introduction of Inland Waterways Transportation code, being the hand work of all Inland Waterways stakeholders conference held in Uyo.
”The code tends to regulate inland navigation generally, but particularly passenger services, loading and unloading operations, safety of navigation, ship waste management, search and rescue operations, extinguishment of fires on vessels.
”NIWA has commenced the training and certification of boat drivers nationwide with a view to ensuring professionalism, regular safety awareness and sensitisation campaigns across the country.
” This is in addition to regular security and compliance patrols on the waterways by the team of NIWA police and mariners.
”NIWA has also established nine search and rescue stations in Lagos, Lokoja, Port Harcourt, Yauri, New Bussa amongst others for timely rescue and the establishment of additional three for other locations is ongoing.
”It has standardised its inspection of vessels to ensure standard and safety compliance and provided surveillance gadgets along the waterways to enhance safety and security,” Moghalu said.
