Boat operators in Lagos State who fail to provide life jacket to their passengers will be prosecuted, the State Waterways Authority (LASWA), has warned.
LASWA Managing Director, Mr Yinka Marinho, gave the warning on Sunday in Lagos in an interview.
He said that the authority would no longer tolerate passengers travelling on waterways without wearing standard life jackets.
“It is mandatory that all users of waterways wear life jacket. We are going to prosecute all operators who carry passengers without life jacket.
Boat operators in Lagos State who fail to provide life jacket to their passengers will be prosecuted, the State Waterways Authority (LASWA), has warned.
LASWA Managing Director, Mr Yinka Marinho, gave the warning on Sunday in Lagos in an interview.
He said that the authority would no longer tolerate passengers travelling on waterways without wearing standard life jackets.
“It is mandatory that all users of waterways wear life jacket. We are going to prosecute all operators who carry passengers without life jacket.
“We implore passengers to insist on the use of life jacket,'' he said.
He said that the penalty to be melted out on boat operators who failed to comply with the directive would be determined by the courts.
Marinho said that the regulations guiding boat operation on the state waterways would be reviewed and necessary penalties spelt out for operators who failed to comply with the directive.
“Some operators have been prosecuted; our regulations will be reviewed and there will be penalties for non-compliance to the use of life jackets.
“If a passenger refuses to wear life jacket, operators should not allow such passenger on board for whatever reasons.
“Passengers should also insist on wearing life jackets, because 80 per cent of the fatalities on the waterways are caused by non compliance with the use of life jackets,'' he said.
The Managing Director said that no fewer than 3,500 life jackets had been distributed in the state and many were still being expected.
He said that the authority recently took delivery of 2,400 life jackets donated by the government for distribution to boat operators across the state.
“The life jackets will promote safe and responsible boating; the authority has not relented in educating and promoting safety on the waterways through advocacy programmes,’’ Marinho said
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