– Commence moves to phase out wooden boats
– The policy cannot be fully implemented – Stakeholders
Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — Nigeria’s National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, has said that it may review the policy on the ban of night travel on the waterways if stakeholders come up with convincing reasons to reverse the policy.
Speaking to Sweetcrudereports on the sideline of the recently concluded World Seafarers Day celebration in Lagos, Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, said that the government is ready to consider the policy if there are reasons to do so.
Oyebamiji also said that this was the first time he was hearing about the complaints of commuters over the ban on night travel.
He stated that the government was open to dialogue adding that any reason to reverse the policy must be very convincing.
He stated: “I think we can dialogue over the matter and off-course, if they come with a strong and convincing point, we can sit down and hear them out. All we are doing is for the safety of Nigerians.
“So, we can sit down and look at it and see what we can do quickly but they need to come with very strong points.
“I will see my Lagos Area Manager now and have a word with her and if they come with a complaint letter, we can see what we can do.”
Oyebamiji explained that the recently launched Code on Waterways transport gave the agency the legal power to implement the rules and regulations guiding transportation on the nation’s waterways.
He stated that every safety measures and expectations from both the boat operators and commuters must be adhered to as consequences for non-compliance will be far reaching.
“That Code now gives us the authority to enforce the laws guiding waterways transport and the issue of fake lifejacket is taking the front burner now and our teams will go round to ensure that commuters use genuine lifejackets.
“Our team will go around and look out for people with lifejacket and arrest them, we have that in the pipeline.”
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the water transport sector have said that the ban on night travel by water cannot be totally adhered to because of the increasing number of people residing in the coastal communities.
The stakeholders also explained that there could be emergency situations that could warrant the movement of persons on the waterways at night.
Some boat operators have said that the ban on night travel needs to be modified as it cannot be fully implemented due to the location of some Lagos residents.
Some residents, according to boat operators, in these coastal communities close from work late evening and by the time they get to jetties on their onward journey home, it will be impossible for them go home because of the stipulated time within which boats must ply the waterways.
Speaking on the development, President of Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporter Association of Nigerian, WABOTAN, Mr. Babatope Fajemirokun, said that there are communities that can only be accessed by water adding that they must cross over to their homes.
Fajemirokun disclosed that there are about 18 riverine communities across some Local Government Areas in Lagos alone adding that the group has written to both the Government and the Nigerian Navy to reconsider its stand on the ban on night travels on the waters because of the residents of these communities.
He said: “We have some communities that can only be accessed by water and some of the residents in these communities closed work or business late in the evening at 7pm and they must cross to their communities.
“In Liverpool area of Lagos, we have about 18 riverine communities, we have 13 across the waters, we have some in Amuwo, we have some under Apapa Local Government, all in Lagos. So, they can only access their communities by water.
“We have written the State Government on the matter, we have written the Navy as well, we told the authorities to give these communities some concessions because they must go back to their homes.”
Also commenting on the development, Mr. Ganiyu Balogun, Chief Executive Officer of Tarzan Boats and President of the Association of Tourists Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria, ATBOWATON, said that the policy on ban of night travels on the waterways is too stiff adding that the government must find a way round the policy so that transportation needs of the people can be met.
Balogun also said the waterways mode of transport is government’s effort at reducing traffic on the roads noting that a robust water transport system will serve this purpose if the travel time was extended.
He said: “If we make use of the waterways, traffic on the roads will be less and most operators have increased their investment in this sector and there has been an increase in the number of people commuting by water.
“At a point, we were carrying over 300 vehicles across the in less than 20 minutes, a journey that would have taken two hours by road; there is a need for government to revisit the policy for the sake of Nigerians that live in the coastal communities.
“What the government needs to do is to provide navigational aids on the waters for the safety of both the boat operators and commuters while the Nigerian Navy and Marine Police can provide security on some of these travel routes.
“I think the government should have re-think because stopping boat from moving at night will be counter-productive. In as much as I know it is for the safety of the people, there is a need to consider people that leave around the coastal communities.
“In other climes, the number of boat movements is reduced at night because there is also a reduction of passengers.”
Though the Spokesman for the NIWA, Mr. Makama Suleiman, who said he has no authority to speak on the issue and directed our correspondent to the Managing Director of the agency, however, said that the policy is for the safety of Nigerians that move around by the waterways adding that most of the boats accidents were avoidable but for the carelessness of both operators and passengers.
Suleiman said: “What is tolerated in the waterways transport cannot be tolerated in the aviation sector because there are rules and regulations that guide that sector, and the same thing must apply in the waterways transport sector.
“All we are doing is for the safety of both passengers and operators using the waterways to commute on a daily basis.”
Recall that last month the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, launched the first-ever waterways transportation code for inland waterways regulation in Lokoja, Kogi State, with a view to curbing incessant boat mishaps and attract investors to the nation’s inland waterways.
Speaking at the unveiling of the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations 2023 and commissioning of Police buildings, hydrographic survey boats, water ambulances, and other projects, Oyetola urged the National Assembly to ensure the speedy passage of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Act.
He also urged NIWA to ensure the enforcement of the regulations, stating that the codes would drastically reduce accidents on the waterways.
The Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, called for consideration of NIWA in the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF). He highlighted the efforts made since his appointment to improve the working environment and address challenges within NIWA.
These efforts included implementing education grants, issuing promotion letters, and enhancing public engagement strategies.
