The House of Representatives has called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to devise new strategic regulatory guidelines in tackling incessant boat mishaps in the country.
The House made the call at the plenary on Thursday following the adoption of a motion titled, ‘Tackling the Menace of Incessant Boat/WaterCraft Mishaps in Nigerian Coastal Lines/Waterways’
Moving the motion, Hon. Rodney Ambaiowei, said Nigeria’s coastline spans about 853 km (530 miles) and over 3000 km of navigable inland water channel with great potential for inland cargo and passenger transportation.
He noted that over the years, there had been repeated incidence of insecurity, threat and act of illegalities which includes crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal oil bunkering, piracy and sea robbery and illegal fishing activities amongst others.
The lawmaker noted that recently, the mass and social media are awash almost on daily basis with sad news of numerous numbers of Nigeria’s citizens perishing as a result of various boat mishaps across the country on our coastlines and waterways.
Ambaiowei explained that the inland waterways cuts across 23 states out of 36 states while boat mishaps continue to rise astronomically.
He recalled that in Bayelsa State on the 6th April 2023, there was a tragic boat mishap at Okoroma Community along Brass waterways in Brass Local Government Area, adding that five dead bodies were recovered while several persons and still missing.
The lawmaker said: “Also another Boat mishap was recorded along Otuam and Anyama River in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area where a female youth corps member and five others lost their lives;
“Also aware that on Saturday 24th June 2023, in Egbu Village in Patigi Local Government area of Kwara State, a boat with 250 people traveling for wedding event capsized and about 144 victims were rescued.
“In Kaduna, 10 students of Victory International secondary school got drowned in a river with just two of them rescued. In Kano State, in 2021, a boat with 47 people capsized with 20 people dead.
“In Niger State, a boat from Lokon carrying more than 160 people capsized at Warrah Ngaski. In Birnin Kebbi, 97 bodies were recovered as a result of a boat mishap.”
The lawmaker said in Calabar on the 24th June 2023, three out of 14 medical students who have converged at Medical school Calabar for 2023 Nigerian Medical Association Health week got drowned when their boat capsized on waterways.
He decried that absence of regulatory guidelines for boat building maintenance and operations in Nigeria coastlines and waterways and issues that come into play regarding vessels operations that could result in accidents, death and injuries include: alcohol use; excessive speed; failure to vent; improper lookouts; inadequate on board navigation lights; navigation rules violation; operators’ inexperience and inattention, illiteracy and non-chalant attitude of boat operators are common courses of most of the boat mishaps in Nigeria.
The House urged, “the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) (for the coastlines) and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) (for the Inland Waterways) to device new strategic regulatory guidelines and ensure compliance while enhancing ‘search
and rescue measures’.”
It also urged the National Orientation Agency and National Meteorological Agency to commence copious awareness campaign on safety measures necessary to prevent boat and watercraft hazards.
The House also resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to undertake a visit to the Netherlands to understudy how the Country runs their Boats and watercrafts in their coastlines and waterways transportation system with minimal casualties.