Lagos Assembly identifies causes of boat mishaps
The ad hoc committee on boat mishaps set up by the Lagos state House
of Assembly has identified submerged objects like logs, timbers, boat
wrecks and others as parts of the causes of boat mishaps following a
stakeholders’ meeting held on the issue by the committee.
It also said that lack of professional boat captains, overspeeding,
bad weather, overloading, non familiarisation with the terrains,,
indiscriminate fishing, haphazard dredging and drunkenness of captains
are causes of boat mishaps in the state waterways as well.
The committee said there was need for a round-table discussion
between LASWA and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to work on
the grey areas in the regulations on waterways.
It also called for periodic dredging and removal of wrecks, training
and certification of boats’ captains, speed control, strict enforcement
of safety regulations, provision of navigational signs and life saving
apparatuses.
And further called for functional ambulances at jetties, engagement
of Red Cross at jetties, regular inspection of boats, deployment of
water guards, licencing of boats and operators and establishment of
marine safety schools.
The committee’s also called for more funding of LASWA to perform its statutory functions.
These were part of the recommrndations of the committee which was
adopted as resolutions of the House when the chairman, Majority Leader,
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade presented the report of the committee at plenary
yesterday and after debate of the report.
The speaker added that the Ministry of Agriculture should monitor the
activities and operations of loggers on the waterways to safe guard the
lives of commuters.
Obasa then directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Olusegun Abiru to
forward a clean copy of the recommendations of the House to the Lagos
State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the Ministry of Transportation,
adding that another copy should be forwarded to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.
In his contribution to debate, Hon. Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1) said
that if the recommendations were implemented, there would be an end to
water accidents in the state and that many commuters had been scared
away from water transport because of the phobia of accidents.
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