From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
In the wake of threat of imminent flooding across different parts of the country, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Onitsha Area office has issued a riot act to boat operators and passengers that ply its waterways to registers their boats with the agency to avoid arrest and seizure of such boats by NIWA Police.
NIWA also gave a marching order of “No Life Jacket travel” to boat operators and passengers, saying that if any boat operators or passengers are caught operating or traveling without life Jacket the will be severely dealt with or may even face prosecution.
Comrade Suleiman Nicholas, Area Manager, NIWA Onitsha Area office who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NIWA, Mr Bola Oyebamiji gave the directives during the 2024 safety sensitization campaign on Nigeria Waterways for Boat Operators /Stakeholders and staff of Onitsha Area office.
Suleiman who extolled the diligence and good working relationship that exists between the boat operators, stakeholders and NIWA, noted that there is need to adhere to safety rules on its waterways at all times.
According to NIWA, “Today we are here to intimate ourselves on the importance of safety on our waterways. It will be recalled that in the 1st Quarter of the year 2024, we had two incidents of boat mishap, January and April, 2024, in which so many lives were lost and we regret the unfortunate incidents of the boat mishaps.
“However, we need to adhere to safety rules on our waterways at all times, that cannot be over emphasized because of its importance to safety of lives and cargoes in water transportation. This is why there is international safety standard to guided vessels operators and passengers on the requisite proactive actions to guard against dangers.
“It is common knowledge that the safety of passengers and goods is of utmost importance and registration/naming of boats are critical steps in ensuring their safety. NIWA under the leadership of its Managing Director Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, recently constituted a body of NIWA Marshall to ensure the use of life jacket and taking of records of passengers at loading points, and also monitor and report all activities in the loading points across Anambra and Delta State.”
NIWA however reminded stakeholders of the 2024 impending flood, saying that flood is natural disaster that occurs when an area is inundated with water, often due to heavy rainfall, which can cause significant damage to both life and properties.
“Consequently, the need for NIWA Onitsha office to collaborate with the stakeholders and state government to sensitize and advocate various communities living along the banks of River Niger of the two states, Anambra and Delta, to vacate the flood prone areas has become very imperative. We will keep updating you all with the information from NIMET and other agencies of the government on the water level.
” On this note we suggest that a committee of NIWA, Office of the Permanent Secretary Special Duties Government House of both Anambra and Delta States, Navy, SEMA, and Civil Society organizations to carry out sensitization and advocacy on safety and management of impending year 2024 flooding as well as monitor the level of water in the affected river I’ve communities”
The program was attended by boat operators and stakeholders of the states and people living in the seven communities in Anambra State and those from Delta State.
There was demonstration on the importance of the use and dangers of non use of Life Jackets inside the River Niger where the person using life jacket was floating on the river while the person without life jacket was sinking until rescued by NIWA officials.
The President General of Onitsha community, Chike Ekweogu represented the Obi of Onitsha, while the Commanding Officer Onitsha Naval Outpost was represented by Yusuf, a high ranking officer from the Naval Outpost.
