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Tag: National Inland Waterways Authority

  • NIWA calls for states’ collaboration to enhance inland waterways safety

    NIWA calls for states’ collaboration to enhance inland waterways safety

    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr Bola Oyebamiji, has called for closer collaboration between the federal agency and state governments to improve safety and security on Nigeria’s inland waterways.

    Speaking at a one-day consultative forum in Ilorin, Kwara State, Oyebamiji emphasised the need for collective action to address the sector’s pressing challenges.

    The forum, organised by the Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’ Forum and themed “Prevalent Safety, Security Hazards and Practices in Inland Waterways: Passenger Transport Safety”, brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on solutions to the safety and security concerns plaguing water transportation.

    “Safety and security are the backbone of a thriving inland waterways transportation system. Without them, the sector cannot reach its full potential,” Oyebamiji stated.

    He appealed to state governments to partner with NIWA in areas such as training, public safety campaigns, infrastructure development, and financial empowerment to enhance the sector’s resilience.

    Read Also: NIWA to phase out wooden boats on inland waterways

     “The challenges we face are significant, but they are surmountable through collaboration and coordinated efforts. This forum is an opportunity for us to collectively chart a course toward safer and more secure inland waterways,” he added.

    Oyebamiji outlined several initiatives undertaken by NIWA to bolster safety, including the unveiling of a comprehensive transportation code for public use and the deployment of new operational assets. These include survey boats, gunboats, water ambulances, and a passenger ferry aimed at improving emergency response and surveillance capabilities.

     “We have also launched safety campaigns across all our operational bases, with messages tailored to local communities in their native languages. These efforts underscore our commitment to fostering a culture of safety across the waterways,” he said.

    The NIWA CEO acknowledged the support from the National Assembly, particularly the House Committee on Inland Waterways, which has prioritised discussions on establishing coastal guards to strengthen security.

     “The legislative backing we have received is pivotal. It reflects a shared recognition of the importance of safety and security in water transportation,” he noted.

    Oyebamiji expressed optimism about the forum’s outcomes, highlighting the importance of actionable and implementable strategies. “I believe that the recommendations from this forum will significantly contribute to ensuring safer and more secure inland waterways for Nigerians,” he remarked.

    As the forum concluded, participants, including state transportation commissioners and industry experts, echoed the need for collaborative efforts to address the sector’s challenges. With strengthened partnerships and coordinated actions, stakeholders remain hopeful that the inland waterways sector will emerge as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s transportation infrastructure.

  • How 22 traders, artisans died in Niger boat disaster

    How 22 traders, artisans died in Niger boat disaster

    • Eight rescued in boat carrying over 50 passengers; many still missing
    • Preliminary reports blame poor visibility, overloading
    • How boat owner tried to outsmart NIWA officials
    • Agency sends rescue team; sets up investigation panel
    • From Justina Asishina, Minna/ Olaide Oyelude, Lokoja

    An alleged move by a merchant boat owner to evade surveillance by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is believed to be largely responsible for yesterday’s accident on the River Niger, leaving at least 22 people dead.

    Many are still missing.

    The wooden craft reportedly took off from an abandoned jetty at 1am yesterday apparently with “intent to beat NIWA’s tight surveillance on the waterways,” the agency said last night.

    The agency said the boat unexpectedly went under along the Dambo-Ebuchi sections of the river where the waters can be more than 600 metres across.

    It cited “poor visibility and overloading” as possible causes of the tragedy.

    The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, said separately that the accident occurred between Baro and Akwanu communities of Agaie Local Government Area of the state.

    Baba-Arah said the boat had about 50 passengers on board.

    The victims who were mainly traders and artisans had set off from Ebe community in Kupa South Local Government Area of Kogi State heading to Katcha market in Niger State.

    The D-G said that 22 bodies had been recovered, while eight persons had been rescued alive so far.

    Bab-Arah added that 18 of the recovered bodies were from Kogi State, while four were inhabitants of Akwanu community in Agaie LGA in Niger

    He said that search and rescue operation was still ongoing to locate more survivors, adding that the general public would be provided with further updates.

    Sandra Musa of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency said the tragedy could “be from turbulence or from the boat hitting a snag. Boat operators don’t usually have life jackets, so none of the bodies recovered had life jackets on.

    “The age of the boat might have played a role. Usually the lifespan of boat is between five and ten years, but you see boats aged 20 years. We will have a better idea of the situation tomorrow.”

    NIWA sends rescue team

    The agency confirmed last night that it had dispatched an emergency rescue team to search for missing passengers.

    Its media unit in a statement in Lokoja said: “Preliminary findings by NIWA indicate that the wooden boat was travelling to the Katcha market in Niger State when it suddenly went under due to poor visibility and overloading. There are no details of lives lost so far.

    “The wooden craft, operated by an unknown boat operator left with unsubstantiated number of passengers from an abandoned jetty at 1am, Friday morning with intent to beat NIWA’s tight surveillance on the waterways.

    “To unravel the cause of the accident, NIWA has set up an investigation panel to ascertain the real cause of the accident, the total number of passengers onboard, and the owner of the craft.

    “Meanwhile, the top management team of NIWA is leading and coordinating the rescue operations as well as making sure the survivors of the boat mishap receive urgent medical attention.

    “NIWA shall, in due course, release more information after the investigation has been concluded.

    “We are shocked by this incident despite all our efforts to sensitise Nigerians about safety measures on waterways.

    “Not quite long, we unveiled the National Waterways Transportation Code, visited communities and stakeholders to make them have a buy in to our strategy to curb accidents on water, and also discussed with state governors in Nigeria to partner with us in providing safe water crafts to help move people and goods safely across our waterways, and now, sadly, this happened.

    “NIWA will investigate this accident and will prosecute the boat captain and owner for deliberate disobedience to the extant law on waterways.”

    Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo expressed shock at the tragedy and urged private boat operators and local authorities to ensure safety improvements.

    Read Also: Niger boat tragedy: Day free ride turned fatal

    The governor said he was “particularly concerned that most of the victims were women, petty traders and artisans who are involved in legitimate business activities to earn a living and contribute to the economy of the state.”

    A similar boat accident on the Muwo Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State on October 1 claimed many lives.

    An overloaded boat also sank on the Gummi River in Zamfara State in September with more than 40 believed to have died.

    Only on Wednesday, the Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebanji, had identified human errors, drugs and disobedience to the rules and regulations as the major causes of boat mishaps that have occurred in the past three years .

    Oyebanji spoke while fielding questions from the members House Representatives Committee on NIWA who were on oversight function to the Headquarters of the Authority in Lokoja.

    He, however, said NIWA is committed to the safety of the Nigerians using water for transportation.

  • NIWA to phase out wooden boats on inland waterways

    NIWA to phase out wooden boats on inland waterways

    The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has said the agency is planning to phase out wooden boats on the nation’s inland waterways.

    NIWA’s Managing Director Bola Oyebamiji said this would help in ending incessant boat mishaps on the waterways.

    The NIWA boss threatened to prosecute anyone found violating the agency’s laws and regulations on safety standards.

    Addressing reporters in Lagos at the weekend, Oyebamiji said night travels, overloading, and failure of the operators to follow rules and regulations are the major causes of boat accidents on the nation’s waterways.

    Read Also; EFCC: To be or not to be?

    The NIWA boss decried the boat mishaps that happened at Gbajigbo in Niger State and Imore in Lagos State, saying they were caused by non–compliance with the safety rules.

    According to him, the enforcement of the recently gazeted Water Transportation Code will be the starting point of the radical reforms on Nigeria’s water transformation.

    Oyebamiji said: “The twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways always overshadow every gain recorded by NIWA whenever it happens.

    “To confront this headlong, we have reconsidered our safety campaign approach to focus more on the grassroots using community resources.”

    Within one year, the agency boss said “NIWA has carried out more grassroots safety campaigns than at any other time within the same period”.

    He added: “Also, we have deployed water marshals across different loading and offloading points in the country. It may interest you to know that within three months of its launch, we have increased the number of our water marshals from 80 to 350 personnel.

    “These officers were directed to commence 24-hour surveillance within selected locations to arrest the ugly incident of night travel and overloading.

    “Just yesterday, in Abuja, we gathered the critical stakeholders in a meeting for several hours to evaluate the current challenges on inland waterways transportation and find possible solutions.

    “The meeting, which was attended by Commissioners of Transportation from more than 24 states, among other groups, highlighted several important measures that must be taken to arrest the twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways.

    “Of note is the need to increase the level of awareness and campaign within the sector.”