The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has intensified its safety awareness campaign, warning boat operators against violating safety regulations and threatening to impound boats that fail to meet registration and inspection requirements.
The authority also warned against night sailing, overloading of boats and operating under the influence of alcohol, urging operators and passengers to prioritise safety, particularly during the ember months when water transportation activities often increase.
The Head of Marine Department, NIWA, Engr. Elsie Egwatu, gave the warnings during a public sensitisation and safety awareness campaign at Liverpool Jetty in Lagos on Tuesday.
Egwatu said the campaign was part of the authority’s statutory responsibility to reduce boat accidents, which she attributed largely to human error and poor safety practices.
She said continuous sensitisation was necessary to remind boat operators and passengers of their respective responsibilities in preventing avoidable accidents on the waterways.
“Safety on the waterways can never be overemphasised. Most of the accidents that happen on our waterways are caused by human error rather than natural disasters. That is why it is important to keep reminding boat operators and passengers of the safety rules and regulations they must observe,” she said.
According to her, consistent adherence to safety measures could significantly reduce the occurrence of boat accidents by 80%.
Egwatu reiterated the importance of life jackets noting that some passengers often refuse to wear them even when they are provided by boat captains.
She also disclosed that the authority had intensified boat inspections beyond the annual exercise, introducing quarterly checks to identify safety defects and address the effects of wear and tear on smaller boats.
She said the authority would not hesitate to impound boats belonging to operators who failed to comply with registration and inspection requirements.
“We have doubled our efforts by carrying out quarterly inspections because we have noticed that wear and tear have more impact on smaller boats. We do not leave it to just the annual inspection. We inspect them regularly and use enforcement measures to ensure compliance,” Egwatu said.
On the training and licensing of boat operators, she said NIWA would intensify enforcement of the requirement for operators to obtain the necessary training and certification before being allowed to operate boats.
According to her, the training costs N95,000, while the subsequent licensing fee is N16,000, with the licence valid for three years before renewal.
She acknowledged that some operators had complained about the cost of training but urged them to make the necessary arrangements, stressing that the programme would equip them with the technical knowledge required to operate safely.
Egwatu said NIWA would give operators time to comply but warned that enforcement would become more aggressive, adding that certification was mandatory for anyone seeking to operate a boat.
Beyond operational safety, NIWA also urged boat operators and passengers to stop disposing of waste into the waterways.
Egwatu said a new initiative was underway to provide waste bins at jetties, adding that Liverpool Jetty was among the locations being considered for the installation.
She listed other locations where the authority had conducted sensitisation exercises as Badagry, Sagbonkoji, Ikorodu Jetty in Ipakodo, adding that the campaign would continue at other jetties including CMS.
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