The Minister of Transport and Communications of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently took a drastic measure to ensure the safety of populations navigating the country’s waters. Indeed, Marc Ekila announced the ban on navigation on around a hundred wooden boats which do not comply with the regulations in force.
According to information provided by the minister, of the 162 boats controlled by his services, 102 do not have any title authorizing them to sail. It is therefore essential to take measures to put an end to these illegal and dangerous practices which endanger the lives of passengers.
In addition to this ban, the minister also took disciplinary measures by suspending around twenty flight crews for various irregularities. Among them, 17 are not registered, which means that they are not officially recognized by the administration. Additionally, 19 have not revalidated their navigation credentials, indicating that they are sailing with expired documents. Finally, 60 cabin crew do not have a valid title.
These measures come in a context marked by a series of shipwrecks leading to the death of at least 50 people in the space of two weeks. It is therefore of the utmost importance to guarantee the safety of passengers by strictly limiting navigation to boats that comply with regulations.
This decision by the Minister of Transport and Communications of the DRC demonstrates the desire of the authorities to take strong measures to ensure the safety of the population. It is essential to ensure that boats circulating on the country’s waters respect current safety standards in order to avoid further tragic accidents.
The navigation ban imposed on these 102 non-compliant boats is a crucial step in guaranteeing the safety of passengers. It is hoped that this measure will be followed by rigorous controls and dissuasive sanctions to put a definitive end to these illegal practices.
The safety of the population is an absolute priority and it is up to the authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to avoid accidents and tragedies. The decision by the Minister of Transport and Communications is an important step in this direction and we hope that it will contribute to ensuring safer journeys for all travelers on the waters of the DRC.