Following the incessant boat mishaps across states in the country, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Bola Oyebamiji has called for increased collaboration between the federal agency and state governments to enhance the safety and security of inland waterways transportation.
Speaking at a one-day consultative forum on safety and insecurities on inland waterways, organized by the Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’ Forum in Ilorin, Oyebamiji emphasized the critical role that safety and security play in fostering a thriving water transportation system. The forum, themed “Prevalent Safety, Security Hazards and Practices in Inland Waterways: Passenger Transport Safety in Ilorin, Kwara State,” sought to address the pressing issues facing the inland waterways sector.
Mr. Oyebamiji acknowledged the ongoing efforts by NIWA to improve safety, such as the recent unveiling of the transportation code for public use, the inauguration of several operational assets including survey boats, gunboats, water ambulances, and a passenger ferry. He also noted that safety campaigns have been launched across all operational bases, targeting local communities in their native languages.
The NIWA CEO highlighted the support from the National Assembly, including the ongoing discussions on establishing coastal guards and the attention safety and security on inland waterways have received from the House Committee on Inland Waterways.
In his closing remarks, Oyebamiji appealed to the Comissioners for Transportation across relevant states to collaborate with NIWA in areas such as training, safety campaigns, infrastructure development, and financial empowerment. He stressed that while the challenges are significant, they are surmountable through collective action.
He expressed optimism for actionable and implementable outcomes from the forum, which he believes will contribute significantly to ensuring safer and more secure inland waterways.
