·Boat operators disagree, fault training fees
Joshua Yousouph
Investigations by Shipping Position Daily have revealed uncertainties about the training and licensing of boat operators in Lagos state as proposed by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA.
Recall that the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Lagos Area office had last year introduced mandatory training programmes and licenses for all boat operators to reduce the rate of mishaps on the inland waterways.
According to the General Manager, Marine Operations, NIWA, Engineer Joseph Ororo, the license issued will be valid for use anywhere in Nigeria and will last for three years after which it will be renewed. He also added that the enforcement of the license will commence in January 2022 when boat operators without the license will be sanctioned.
While speaking with one of our correspondents recently, the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Mrs. Sarat Braimah noted that the training has commenced last year with two batches of boat operators successfully trained on basic boating operations, human management, boat troubleshooting, among others. She said the turnout for the training for boat operators has been impressive while licenses and certificates have been issued to those who have completed the training.
Reacting to the enforcement of the license, Braimah specifically mentioned that the enforcement on defaulters will commence on the 1st of February, 2022.
In her words: “The mandatory Small Power Boat & RIB Master training commenced last year and the turnout has been remarkably impressive. Licenses and certificates have been issued to those who have completed the training. Enforcement on defaulters will commence on the 1st of February, 2022”.
However, the Lagos State Chairman of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Alhaji Lawal Babatunde disagreed with NIWA, stating that boat operators have not undergone any training. He noted that the association had earlier met with and discussed with NIWA to reduce the amount payable for the training, but all to no avail. He however noted that the association is still on the issue.
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“We are still on it. We are asking for the reduction of the money which they asked us to pay, but the response they gave us is not what we are expecting from them. To the best of my knowledge, we have not conducted any training” Lawal noted.
The Badagry Zone Secretary of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Boat Operator Unit, Comrade Owolabi Omotayo noted that the issue of licensing to boat operators is still unclear even as he lamented that licensing fees are too high and not affordable for boat operators at the grassroots.
“The Licensing is not clear. We have been having our own training at Badagry. Since Last year, LASWA and NIWA organized training at Badagry for boat operators. The only area we have issues with is the cost of the Licensing. We just have to get a license that is affordable for everyone, especially the grassroots. That is where we are now” Owolabi said.
Also, the Liverpool (Apapa) Unit Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Ayeyemi Omosuyi earlier told Shipping Position Daily that the N50,000 proposed by NIWA for the training and licensing of boats are too high for boat operators and that many of them are still struggling to make ends meet.
“The PDS training we did with NIMASA is N20,000 together with the medical check-up inclusive and many of us could not still afford it. Majority of us are uneducated. Some were brought into this job so that they can sustain a living. We are begging the government to look into this matter of training. Our people need this training to avoid boat mishaps, but we cannot afford N50,000.” Omosuyi pleaded.
Also speaking, the National President, ATBOWATON, Mr Gani Tarzan Balogun noted that NIWA has got and commissioned some boats for the enforcement of the license.
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