The Managing Director of the National Island Waterways Authority, NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, has stated that deploying its river marshals to monitor boat operators will go a long way in curtailing incessant boat mishaps on the waterways in the country.
He stated this during a sympathy visit and presentation of 300 life jackets at Gbajibo, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, following the boat accident that occurred in the area and urged boat owners to adhere to water transportation codes and regulations to ensure safety for everyone travelling on the waterways.
He also stated that the recent tragic boat mishap at Gbajibo on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, could have been prevented if river marshals were in place and the boat owner had adhered to the waterways code, which banned overloading and travelling at night, among others.
DAILY POST recalls that a boat carrying about 300 passengers capsized at Gbajibo, in which 150 were rescued alive, and 150 were missing, out of which 43 bodies were recovered and buried.
Oyebamiji explained that to ensure the safety of travellers on waterways, the agency brought 300 life jackets for Gbajibo and neighbouring communities in the area, adding that henceforth, travelling without a life jacket is an offence.
“Our river marshals have been inaugurated and will now be operating shifts from 7 pm to 6 am to ensure no boat owner operates in the night. It will not be palatable for both boat owners and travellers caught travelling at night.
“We have also heard your appeal and for a way forward, we are ready to grant your request. We will discuss with the Minister of Marine and Green Economy for a jetty to be deployed for Gbajibo community and its environs. We will also collaborate with the Niger State Government to bring a boat for ambulance and another for surveillance to ensure quick response during boat mishaps to avert loss of life,” the NIWA MD stated.
Expressing sadness on the incident, he stated: ” We are here to commiserate and identify with you at this period of pain. What happened calls for caution and we pray for the repose of souls of victims and pray that this will not occur again.”
Earlier, the District Head of Gbajibo, Alh. Mahmudu, called on NIWA, Niger State Government and HYPPADEC to urgently come up with ways to mitigate future boat mishaps not only at Gbajibo but across the country.
He lamented: “Gbajibo has recorded a lot of boat mishaps with a lot of lives lost. We are appealing to you to provide us with marine police, flying boats for quick response, and more life jackets because what we have is not enough.”
Also, the Niger State chairman of the Boat Owners Association, Attahiru Bawa Isah, attributed most boat accidents to the lack of compliance with waterways codes by his members.
He expressed pain at the constant loss of lives at the waterfronts annually, saying the association is prepared to work with the NIWA alongside the Niger State Ministry of Transportation, NSEMA and HYPPADEC to tackle the situation.
“We urge your agency to carry us along in your programmes through proper training of our members to ensure safety on our waterways for everyone,” Isah stated.