OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
Management of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Warri Area office has expressed readiness to introduce safety measures in inland waterways in order to reduce and/or arrest rising incessant boat mishap incidents in its areas of operations.
This was disclosed by Engr. Tammy Fiberesima, Area Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Warri Area office as part of resolutions reached during NIWA Stakeholders Hearing/Meeting that took place at the Warri Dockyard, with the Theme: Enhancing Safe, Secured And Environmental/Passenger Friendly Water Transport.”
Engr. Tammy noted that, notwithstanding some efforts like creation of laws and regulated guidance and institutions put in place to arrest or reduce boat mishap, there are still incessant experiences of boat mishap incidents on the waterways.
According to him, the resolutions include; setting up of functional NIWA/Maritime security operating collaborative enforcement team, ensuring compulsory wearing of PPE as well as NIWA to come up with safety measures for local fishermen in the waterways.
He gave other resolutions to include the setting up of effective and rescue units, embarking on more safety sensitization campaign as well as NIWA to facilitate the acquisition of life jackets for boat owners and certification of boat drivers license.
Engr. Tammy further said that the meeting is to garner the needed exprience-based inputs from all participants, concerning the workability of NIWA’s proposed safety measures which include; introduction and institutionalizing the calibration and inscribing of water load line (WLL) on both sides of all watercrafts, as a check for overloading.
While noting that safety is everybody’s business, Engr. Tammy said, the introduction and institutionalizing the registration and certification of boat drivers as for human factor issues is most important.
He added that, the re-introduction of the administration of daily river tolls collection for determining the identity of watercratfs that are subjected to a given toll route will generate the much needed funds to maitain the ferry routers and create job opportunities.
In his goodwill message, Dr. Isaac C. Tola, Chairman of the Stakeholders Hearing Meeting and also spoke on behalf of Waterways And Boat Drivers Association of Nigeria (WABDAN)assured that the body is centered on the promotion of waterways safety and related ones.
Dr. Tola further gave assurance that the Association (WABDAN)will always collaborate with NIWA to not only save lives and properties of those whose livelihood and economy depends on the waterways, but will also create a conducive enironment for business to thrive.
He urged corporate organizations, individuals and institutions to join the course, saying, safety is everybody’s business.
Representatives of Nigerian Navy, Marine Police, Maritime Workers Union(MWU), Warri North L.G.A, as well as Youth President, Igbudu Community, Mr. Oyiboaga Ogheneovo among others who spoke, noted that most boat drivers are not well trained. They called for the training and re-training of boat drivers to enhance safety in the waterways.
They said, the use of life safety boat apparatus (jackets teal)are most important in waterways operations. They argued that, boat monitoring as to safety measures is not for the army but for the navy and marine police because they are well trained in regards to water operations.
While calling on for the collective support of relevant stakeholders to sensitize boat users on the need of water safety, they commended NIWA for gradually turning the environment into a beehive of activities, ading that, NIWA’s partnering with the communuties and relevant stakeholders to sensitize the people on the need to be safety conscious is most apt.
