The National Inland Waterways Authority has banned all unauthorised boat loading points across the country.

The authority also called for the passage of the Coastal Guards Bill to enhance water safety and curb boat mishaps.

Bola Oyebamiji, the managing director of NIWA, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, at a news conference to address concerns surrounding boat mishaps.

Mr Oyebamiji said that no commercial passenger boat shall be allowed to load from any point other than those recognised and registered by NIWA.

“It is mandatory for all commercial boat operators to provide and enforce the use of life jackets on the boats always. Every commercial passenger boat must properly display its boat name letters and load line, and all unlicensed boats and watercraft are to be removed from the waterways,” he said.

Mr Oyebamiji stated that all unlicensed boat drivers and operators were prohibited from operating any boats or watercraft on waterways.

He reiterated NIWA’s commitment to safe waterways, particularly through its ongoing removal of aquatic waste, logs, wrecks, and other obstructions from waterways that could hinder safe navigation. He said that NIWA had increased the number of its water marshals from 80 personnel to 350 personnel.

According to him, this is to ensure that safety tips are given to passengers before departure and to reinforce strict enforcement of the ‘No Life Jacket, No Boarding’ regulations.

Mr Oyebamiji said that passenger manifests had also been deployed to the area offices across the country to record passenger information at recognized jetties and loading points for administrative purposes.

The NIWA boss stated that the authority had installed marine navigational buoys, conducted a hydrographic survey, and intensified training for boat operators. He said that all these measures were taken to ensure safe water channels, facilitate safe navigation, and prevent boat mishaps, thereby protecting lives and property.

He attributed the recent successful rescue of water accidents to the use of lifejackets and the reactivated rescue teams and stations, which had improved emergency response time to less than 30 minutes.

He, however, stated that there was a need for the establishment of a coastal guard law to enhance the monitoring of waterways and facilitate rapid response to accidents and mishaps.

The NIWA boss stated that plans were underway to collaborate with the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy, particularly in relation to enforcing the ban on overloading and night sailing.

He called for collaborations with riverine state governments on safety campaigns, the training of boat operators and drivers, the procurement and distribution of life jackets, the provision of landing platforms, and the deployment of modern passenger ferries.

He said that NIWA would continue to engage with the subnationals, particularly in the area of training for boat operators, safety awareness, and provision of worthy passenger ferries.

He commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his continuous support in strengthening the capacities of NIWA and enhancing the safety of waterways across the country, thereby benefiting Nigerians.

(NAN)