HARVEST OF DEATH ON WATERWAYS

The relevant authorities must enforce minimum standards on our waterways

It is understandable that boat accidents are inevitable in the creeks and coastlines especially given the fact that the people living in those areas have no alternative means of transportation. And perhaps because of that, they tend to pile into whatever watercraft happens to be moving towards their destinations. This exactly explains the reason for the incessant boat accidents. In the latest of such tragedies that now define our country, at least 154 persons perished last week in Kebbi State. The rickety boat was said to be carrying 180 passengers and 30 motorcycles when it capsized in what has become a familiar tragedy. Just three weeks ago, 28 people (mostly villagers running away from bandits) were killed in Niger State following a boat mishap.

It is a notorious fact that there is hardly any ferry, canoe or the so-called “flying boat” that keeps to the exact passenger number specification. In some instances, boats that were constructed to carry not more than 20 persons could be loaded with 50 or more passengers especially at peak periods when people are in a hurry to get back to their places. Consequently, when the canoes encounter stormy conditions along the water, the sheer weight of the human cargo and other luggage would make them easily susceptible to capsize.

Aside from overloading, most of these boats are old and suffer from lack of proper maintenance. Perhaps more important is the obvious lack of safety standards. In fact, not much is known about the existence of any mandatory operational guidelines for ownership of ferries and boats and the minimum standards that must be met to be in the business of ferrying people through the waters.

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) was established in 1997 to manage the nation’s 3000 navigable waterways from the Nigeria/Niger Republic and Nigeria/Cameroon borders to the Atlantic Ocean. These comprise Rivers Niger and Benue as well as the creeks, lagoons, lakes, and intra-coastal waters. NIWA’s mandate also includes providing “regulatory, economical and operational leadership in the nation’s inland waterways system and develop infrastructural facilities for efficient intermodal transportation system that is safe, seamless and affordable”. NIWA’s presence is hardly felt.

It is unfortunate that almost everything worthwhile and ordinarily should be easily achieved always looks like a mountain in Nigeria. With the existence of waterfronts in various parts of the country and the increasingly devastating state of our roads, innovative leaders would have ordinarily explored the options of water transportation by heavily investing in our waterways with a view to making them safe. That sadly is not the case despite the fact that water transportation is one clear source of de-congesting the roads in places where road travel could result in frustrating hours in traffic gridlock. We therefore urge NIWA to be alive to its responsibility by enforcing a universal safety standard. For instance, the absence of any search and rescue agencies often contribute to the high casualty figures recorded since the operators have little or no knowledge about what to do when faced with emergency situations.

Going forward, we reiterate our call that operational standard be enforced nationally for those in the business of ferry and canoe transportation. Provision of emergency services along the waterways is also worthy of consideration. It is even more disturbing that we have marine police in the country who always seem to be nowhere in environs where water tragedies occur. If they are marine police, shouldn’t they be permanently stationed around waterways and swiftly swing to action when tragedies occur on the waters by promptly rescuing victims?

The authorities must put in place the necessary safety measures. Travelling by water should not be a suicide mission.