The recent news of tragedies on Nigeria’s waterways is a poignant reminder of the urgent need to act to ensure the safety of travellers. The alarming figures of fatalities related to boat accidents highlight the gaps and failures of regulatory authorities and boat operators, making every journey a game of Russian roulette with life.
Recent tragic events, such as the collision of two boats in the lagoon near Imore Town, should not be seen as isolated accidents, but as the result of systemic negligence and shocking indifference to passenger safety. Authorities such as the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and regional regulatory agencies have consistently failed to uphold safety standards, leaving passengers at the mercy of unscrupulous operators and dilapidated boats.
It is imperative that concrete measures are taken to end this spate of preventable disasters. The Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority must be thoroughly overhauled and given the necessary resources to strictly enforce safety standards. Regular inspections of boats must be carried out to ensure their seaworthiness, while strict sanctions must be imposed on operators who endanger their passengers by overloading or ignoring safety regulations. All boats must be required to carry enough life jackets for each passenger, and these must be worn at all times.
At the local and regional government level, enhanced collaboration with the Inland Waterways Authority is essential to ensure comprehensive monitoring of Nigeria’s inland waterways. It is also essential to remove underwater wrecks and other obstructions that hinder navigation and endanger the lives of passengers.
Boat operators must also take responsibility in this crisis. Profit can no longer take precedence over human life. There is need for enforceable measures to ensure that operators adhere to safety standards and do not compromise the safety of their passengers for financial gain.
It is high time that proactive actions are taken to end this cycle of avoidable tragedies. Passenger safety should not be a luxury but a fundamental right. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that every journey on Nigeria’s waterways is safe and secure, so that victims of previous tragedies are not forgotten in the flood of statistics.
We must act now, before another wave of deaths hits our inland waterways.