Investigations have revealed that about 80 percent of boat operators across over 21 jetties scattered around Lagos State still engage in night travel, even as majority do not have passengers manifest.
Shipping Position Daily in a chat with some of the boat operators also confirmed that, it would be difficult for the various regulatory agencies to implement the ban on night travels because residents of some of the communities located around the creeks only travel by boat, and many of them return late from work.
Report of an investigative study recently conducted by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) a copy of which was given to Shipping Position Daily showed that most notorious among the jetties are Liverpool, Tin Can and Coconut jetties in Apapa, Epemeje jetty in Badagry, Tarzan Jetty Badore 1 and 2 as well as Tarzan Jetty Ijede in Ikorodu.
According to the NIWA report, its compliance officers noticed there was no passenger manifests at the jetties, many of them engage in night travels, no use of original life jackets, over speeding and in some cases, the boats were leaking.
The team also observed that some boats were ‘over-boarded’ beyond their design capacity.
The report also noted that; “This issue was pointed out to the operators who claimed ignorance of the actual capacity of their boats and they were instructed to load correctly, going forward"
"The team observed that most of the life jackets provided for the passengers were torn and worn- out. To prevent their continued use, these life jackets were confiscated and destroyed by the team instantly and at the same time insisted that boat operators who do not have adequate life jackets must not operate"
"The team noticed that operators at the Jetties were notorious for sailing at night. They were warned on the dangers associated with this, especially when their boats do not have navigation lights"
However, some boat operators at the Tin Can Island Jetty have begged NIWA for waiver on the issue of night sailing.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily, one of the operators who pleaded anonymity said that the only means of getting to some of the communities within the creeks was through the waterways.
He said that this was why some of the boat operators sail late beyond the prescribed deadline.
Our correspondent also learnt that after the daily curfew at 6pm , many passengers remain stranded at the jetty, especially those living in the riverine communities.
Apart from these, NIWA in the report passed a vote of no confidence on nine major boat operators for their noncompliance with onboard safety gadgets.
Some of them are; Sealink 1 which lacked passenger manifest, paddle. Bob Marine 2 for lacking paddle, fire extinguisher and anchor.
Seacoach 4 for lacking passenger manifest, fire extinguisher, and golden glory 2 for lacking passenger manifest, paddle, fire extinguisher and anchor.
Speaking recently with Shipping Position Daily exclusively, Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr. Muazu Sambo said the agency has since intensified it's campaign, sensitisation and awareness against night sailing, over speeding and use of life jackets at various jetties in Lagos.
"This is something we have educated everybody, we have done flyers, we have done sensitization at various jetties"
"At the CMS jetty behind me here, I personally went there yesterday, while I was there it was already 6.30pm, before I left there I noticed it was already late, by the time the boat leaves that jetty, anywhere they are going to, it would be too dark, so I made sure the passengers were all de-boarded, the jetty was locked and I had to apologise to the passengers"
"If I wasn't at the jetty at that time, that is how they would have flouted the order on night travel and get away with it, because of this, I have sanctioned the people who are supposed to supervise that jetty, the beach master."
"All station officers have also been told to lock the jetty and return the key to me", he told our correspondent.
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