The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says it will soon restrict activities of canoe operators in Lagos State.
Mr Muazu Sambo, the Lagos State Area Manager of NIWA, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
According to him, safety measures on waterways have become necessary following the recent boat mishaps in the state.
“The management has moved to restrict activities of canoe operators to fishing or other personal uses, rather than movement of passengers.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says it will soon restrict activities of canoe operators in Lagos State.
Mr Muazu Sambo, the Lagos State Area Manager of NIWA, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
According to him, safety measures on waterways have become necessary following the recent boat mishaps in the state.
“The management has moved to restrict activities of canoe operators to fishing or other personal uses, rather than movement of passengers.
“We have discovered that some of the mishaps recorded in recent time, not only in Lagos, but across state were caused by canoes.
“Most of the operators are very young and inexperienced to operate the canoes,’ he said.
Sambo said that NIWA had the power to ban the use of canoes as means of moving passengers.
He said that NIWA had commenced full enforcement of safety rules on waterways and that ferry operators without prerequisite safety precautions would not be allowed to operate.
NAN recalls that the authority had posted permanent staff in jetties in the state to enforce compliance with all safety measures.
NAN also reports that the management has also introduced passenger manifest to trace passengers in event of any mishap.
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