The federal government says plans are ongoing to begin manufacturing boats in the country to phase out rickety vessels and curb the incidence of mishaps.

Pius Akutah, the executive secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC), said this in an interview with journalists in Abuja.

Mr Akutah said the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) were working to minimise accidents on the inland waterways.

He said, “We have not properly professionalised boat making in Nigeria, that is why today we are still using wooden boats.

“Other countries, even smaller neighbouring countries, have gone ahead to start fabricating boats and professionalising the act of fabricating boats.

“But all of these are in the master plan, the blueprint that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy has just inaugurated recently, and plans are there to fabricate proper boats with the right specifications.”

Mr Akutah said the minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, was leveraging the ministry’s staff’s knowledge, experience and expertise to brainstorm ideas to transform the marine sector and enhance safety.

He said that with the inauguration of the marine and blue economy policy, measurable development would be recorded within the next year, especially regarding boat accident control.

Mr Akutah lauded the government for distributing life jackets across states to save lives and urged boat users to ensure the usage of the jackets for their own safety.

He also called for the establishment of a coastal guard to support boat users with proper water navigation, especially at night.

Mr Akutah said that aside from shipping safety, the council was working as a critical agency to promote and ensure safe and clear vehicle transit parks in the hinterlands.

He noted that vehicle transit parks were part of the council’s mandates, promoting the development of critical infrastructure in the hinterlands for vehicles.

“The Nigerian Shippers Council undertook a study, which showed that most of the accidents we have on our roads today are a result of fatigued drivers.

“Drivers driving for several hours without stopping to rest because of the non-availability of parks along the way, and there’s an African Charter on the movement of vehicles on roads.

“It limits the time within which a driver can continuously be on the road, which is seven hours, but unfortunately, you will see that that has not been implemented over the years,” Mr Akutah said.

He said the development of transit paths was to create critical transport infrastructure, avoid accidents, and create an environment for the security of cargoes.

Mr Akutah said the vehicle transit parks would allow drivers to stop and rest in a more secure environment with other economic activities.

Mr Akutah said the council was also supporting the government’s economic policies to make an impact in the port sector.

He added that the council was in synergy with public and private stakeholders across the ports to improve and sustain development in the sector.

(NAN)