Fresh facts have emerged about directives by the Federal Government to introduce new safety measures for boat operators in the inland water transport business in Nigeria.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed that the directive by government will commence in 2015, even as a large number of operators have also keyed into the new directives that centered round safety rules and regulations.
Fresh facts have emerged about directives by the Federal Government to introduce new safety measures for boat operators in the inland water transport business in Nigeria.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed that the directive by government will commence in 2015, even as a large number of operators have also keyed into the new directives that centered round safety rules and regulations.
Spearheaded by the National Inland Waterways Authority(NIWA) on behalf of the federal government; our correspondent learnt that from 2015, all boats operating in Nigeria inland waters transport business must be painted for safety purposes.
The colour as agreed by operators under the aegis Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) in a meeting with NIWA recently is green white green.
Apart from painting their craft, they are also expected to register their boats that will carry some form of identity in case of distress calls on the inland waters.
Also confirming the new directives to Shipping Position Daily last week, National President of Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON); Alhaji Gani Balogun said that some of the operators are excited about the new directives by the Federal government and they are also ready to comply for the benefit of their passengers and themselves.
Balogun, who is also the Managing Director of Gani Tarzan Marine Enterprises Nigeria Limited stressed that, “ust like we have plate numbers as some form of identity, that is what we are to do come next year we also agreed that our boats should be painted".
He said that the meeting held with NIWA officers in Lagos deliberated on a colour that was accepted by the operators and the colour green and white was agreed upon by both the agency and the operators.
Balogun disclosed that white represents light and whenever a boat has challenges at a night, it can easily be identified by other boat operators or government agencies.
The ATBOWATON president further reiterated that "we settled for green white green with NIWA officials because whenever there are distress call at night, such boats can be easily traced by other operators and government agencies on patrol"
According to him, the darker it is at night, the brighter the boat becomes because of the white colour in between the green colour.
He said government has given the operators, between six months and one year to comply to the directive before it will commence its implementation of sanctioning erring operators.
According to him, the policy of the federal government is a welcome development to the maritime industry, saying that there is the need for the government to carry the stakeholders along on issues that surround water transport business.
He however called on the federal government to collaborate with the operators and to also build more jetties so as to open more business opportunities for water transport operators.
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