…laments lack of life-jackets, nighttime travel
Worried by the recurring boat accidents in Niger State, Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN) has offered to train the boat operators in Niger on safety and best practices.
The association made this known in a press statement after its monthly executive meeting on Friday, even as it expressed deep condolences to the families of victims of the tragic boat mishap that occurred on Tuesday night in Gbajibo community in Niger State.
In the statement signed by WABOTAN National President, Comrade Babatope Fejemirokun, and National Publicity Secretary, Chief Raymond Gold, the association expressed grave concern over the recurrence of such mishaps in the same community, noting that a similar incident last year that claimed 31 lives.
While offering to extend its training initiatives to Niger State operators in a bid to prevent future incidents, WABOTAN commended the efforts of the volunteers involved in the ongoing search and rescue operations, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in addressing the challenges of waterway safety.
Recall that the accident, which occurred in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, claimed over 100 lives, with the search for more bodies still ongoing.
“We sympathize with the families of victims that lost their lives in the Niger State boat mishap. We are very sad over this unfortunate incident,” the statement read.
“While we have cause to be worried whenever there is a boat mishap, we are more worried over this particular mishap as we recall that there was a similar boat mishap in this same community last year where 31 persons lost their lives,” Fejemirokun added.
WABOTAN, which has been at the forefront of advocating for water transport safety, identified several factors that contributed to the tragedy.
“From the information we have gathered, the accident was caused by water waves leading to a boat break. While water waves are natural, overloading a boat, lack of safe jackets, and travelling at night are all human factors,” the association noted.
The association called on the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to up its safety sensitization programs and enforce regulatory policies more effectively.
“We are calling on the regulators, especially NIWA, to beef up their sensitization programs and enforce policies aimed at ensuring safety on the country’s waterways,” the statement read.
WABOTAN also highlighted its efforts in training and retraining boat operators to improve safety, particularly in Lagos, where it has partnered with NIWA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
