By Joshua Yousouph
The Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria has called on the National Inland Waterways Authority to increase the provision of life jackets for boat operators and passengers across the country, even as it commended the Authority for its sustained efforts at improving safety on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The appeal was made on Wednesday when the leadership and members of the association paid a courtesy visit to the NIWA Abuja Area/Liaison Office to congratulate the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Umar Yusuf Girei, and the Area Manager, Abuja Area/Liaison Office, Aisha Eri, on their recent appointments.
Speaking on behalf of the association, ATBOWATON National President, Gani Tarzan Balogun, lauded NIWA for its unwavering support to water transport operators across the country. He particularly praised the Authority’s deliberate focus on enhancing safety on the nation’s waterways, noting that its interventions have produced commendable results, especially in the South-West region.
Balogun, however, identified the shortage of life jackets as one of the most critical challenges confronting operators. He urged NIWA to prioritise the procurement and distribution of additional life-saving equipment, stressing that adequate access to life jackets is essential to safeguarding the lives of passengers and crew members and reducing the incidence of waterway accidents.
The ATBOWATON President also advocated improved navigability of Nigeria’s inland waterways, arguing that developing the nation’s water transport infrastructure would provide a safer and more efficient alternative for commuters and cargo movement while easing the growing pressure on the country’s road network.
Responding, the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Umar Yusuf Girei, appreciated the association for the visit and assured members that the Authority had already commenced work on many of the issues raised. He explained that several interventions were already underway before the delegation’s visit and reaffirmed NIWA’s commitment to improving safety standards and operational efficiency across the nation’s inland waterways.
Also speaking, the Area Manager of the NIWA Abuja Area/Liaison Office, Aisha Eri, described the visit as encouraging and called on members of ATBOWATON to bring their experience and expertise to bear in the Federal Capital Territory. She expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between NIWA and boat operators would further enhance water transportation services and safety in the FCT.
