Boat mishaps: NAPS urges FG to ban wooden boats, canoes from water transportation
IDRIS AHMED, Lokoja.
Owing to the alarming frequency of boat mishaps on Nigerian waterways, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has petitioned the Federal and State governments to enact a nationwide ban on the use of wooden boats and canoes for water transportation as a matter of extreme urgency.
The call is part of the five-point demands tabled before the Government after last month’s boat mishap in Kogi and Niger States, which took the lives of over fifty people.
In a communique read at a press conference held in Lokoja on Tuesday, the student body called for the immediate scrapping of wooden boats as a means of transportation on the nation’s waterways and their replacement with modern, safer vessels.
The demands are part of a comprehensive push for enhanced safety protocols and upgraded infrastructure to avert future calamities.
Agada Noah, Secretary General of NAPS, expressed deep regret over the loss of lives and called for those responsible for the boat accidents to be held accountable.
“The National Association of Polytechnic Students mourns the tragic loss of lives in the recent boat mishap, which is a painful reminder of the recurring boat accidents across the country—many of which are preventable,” Noah said.
While the students pointed out the human factors that contribute to such accidents, such as negligence, failure to follow safety protocols, alcohol use, and sailing at night, they also criticized poor infrastructure, inadequate emergency response systems, and the use of substandard or overloaded vessels by boat operators.
“It is crucial to tackle the root causes of these preventable accidents. Stakeholders must enforce stricter regulations on boat operators, ensure regular maintenance of vessels, and impose penalties for non-compliance with safety standards, the Students stated.
The students called for increased budgetary allocation to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to enable it meet its statutory obligations effectively.
They urged the National Assembly to legislate for these increased allocations, focusing on enhancing safety infrastructure, emergency response equipment, and the recruitment of more trained personnel.
The Students commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Hon. Adegboyega Oyetola, and the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, for their efforts in adopting and implementing Nigeria’s Water Transportation Code into reality
“While we acknowledge the National Inland Waterways Authority’s efforts to sensitize riverine communities and boat users, we call on the Federal and State Governments, legislators, and relevant agencies to intensify safety awareness campaigns,” Noah said.
The Student leader emphasised the need for collaboration between the Nigeria Union of Journalists, media outfits, and agencies to raise public awareness about waterway safety.
While calling on relevant Stakeholders to improve safety infrastructure and public awareness, NAPS also demanded that the government hold those responsible for boat mishaps accountable.
“We call on the Federal Government to ensure that whoever causes a boat accident must be held accountable,” he stressed.
The students also urged state governors from riverine areas to support NIWA’s efforts in modernizing the nation’s waterways and implementing safety measures.
