Boat operators arrested for defaulting waterways safety rules in Lagos

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The patrol team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said it has confiscated six boat engines belonging to commercial ferry operators for flouting safety regulations on the state waterways.

According to Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, the General Manager(GM), LASWA, the renewed vigour was in its determined efforts to bring sanity on the inland waterways and prevent increasing boat mishaps.

In a statement in Lagos by Mrs Nkechi Ajayi, the Public Affairs Officer of LASWA, thier offences include, overloading,failure to wear life jackets and others.

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Reports of accidents on waterways in Lagos has almost become a daily occurrence, the recent being that of July 29, which took more than 10 persons to early grave.

The GM expressed the agency’s commitment to continually ensure, the safety of passengers being ferried on the state waterways.

He announced on Tuesday; “The patrol team of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) earlier today seized a total number of six boat engines belonging to commercial ferry operators that were caught flouting safety regulations on the waterways.

“Their offences include: not wearing life jackets, overloading, reckless driving, among other offences which could have resulted in preventable fatalities when accidents occur.”

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According to him, areas covered during today’s safety compliance operations were Mile 2, Kirirkiri, Abule Osun Jetty, Alex Jetty, Liverpool, Ebute-Ojo all in the Ojo axis of Lagos.

He reaffirmed that the agency will no longer condone any action that would be against the safety standards of the state inland waterways.

During the safety compliance operations, the agency covered areas as, Mile 2, Kirirkiri, Abule Osun Jetty, Alex Jetty, Liverpool, Ebute-Ojo all in the Ojo axis of the state.

The GM maintained that any boat operator arrested for defaulting waterways safety rules will be sanctioned appropriately.

the authority will work harder on boat captains and deckhands while continuing , awareness and enlightenment to foster safety on waterways,

Sensitization of boat captains and deckhands the authority said it will work harder to create awareness and enlightenment on, in order to foster safety on waterways in the state.