By Omotayo Edubi
As part of the ongoing efforts in ensuring adequate protection of lives along the waterways, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has donated Life Jackets worth millions of naira to boat operators within its coverage areas for safety of passengers, insisting that, it is still the best safeguard option within the maritime space.
Making the donation at the NIWA office in Warri, Delta state, NIWA Managing Director, Chief (Dr) George Moghalu, expressed delight over the commencement of the Life Jackets distribution to boat operators in line with its commitment to guarantee safety of lives and property along the nation’s waterways.
Presenting the Life Jackets to the leadership of the various Maritime Union in attendance, the Warri Area Office Manager, Engr. Mohammed Dangana, who represented the MD at the occasion, described the contribution as part of NIWA’s responsibility to lead by example in ensuring safety measures on waterways.
“The mandate of the Inland Waterways is to ensure that there is all year round navigations on the waterways system and the Managing Director is so passionate about the safety.
“We had a safety awareness campaign sometimes last year and we feel we needed to give out life jackets to operators as part of our Cooporate social Responsibilities (CSR).
“We had some consignments on the supply of life jackets which we distributed through the Maritime Union leadership because we decided to reach out to as many operators as possible in this first phase of the distribution exercise. We hope to commence the second phase soonest. The entire idea is to make it a continuous exercise.
“And that is what we are doing and want to let the world know what we are doing in ensuring the safety on the waterways.
“Essentially, every boat should have life jackets. Every boat operator should provide life jackets in their boat. And because we are in the lead of safety on the waterways that is why we have decided to take this initiatives as part of our advocacy to lead by example.
“It is the expectation of NIWA that the operators should align with the safety mantra by ensuring as they are moving from points A to B they must ensure that everyone on the boat is wearing a life jacket as a way of guaranteeing their safety while on board.” Dangana said.
