The Commissioner for Transportation, Oladipo Lawanson, made this known in an interview with journalists in Lagos last week, explaining this as part of the state government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of people.
Lawanson said the state government is working on bringing ideas and best practices on water transportation, noting that the sub-sector requires millions of dollars of investment, to do it right.
He said, “We are going to procure life-saving boats, top speedboats and quick response boats so that, at any time there is an emergency, we will rescue promptly without recording any casualty.”
According to him, the government periodically distributes free life jackets to jetties to save lives on waterways.
The commissioner said that there was at least a guard in every jetty in the state to properly kit passengers before any journey.
“We have water guards in all our jetties to ensure nobody steps into a boat without proper kitting with life jacket because safety of life and property is very important,” he said.
“The institution will require a lot of training because water transportation is hazardous.”
The State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, at a roundtable on water transport organised by the state last month expressed his administration’s commitment to providing critical infrastructure and the enabling environment for investors to participate in the ongoing efforts to revamp the state water transport sector.
He said that the sector remained critical to tackling traffic congestion in the state.
Recall that as part of efforts to correct this unfortunate trend of boat mishaps, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has issued basic operational standards for the business of ferry services. These standards include; all commercial boats must have 2 nos. engines and a functional speedometer, double hull and bottom design, fitted with appropriate navigational aids including GPS and Echo sounder system, appropriate and adequate cabin lighting system.
NIWA also insists that passenger vessels are fitted with adequate safety accessories including; fire extinguisher, paddle, life boys, shore to sea communication gadgets, provision of pyrotechnics and hand flare, functional key starter, horns and alarm system.
At such a time when the nation is indicating interests in ensuring the utilization of the waterways as an avenue to decongest the roads, it has become unfortunate that the waterways have become death traps for passengers. Therefore, the concerted efforts of NIWA and Lagos State Government should be applauded.
