Yuletide: NIWA tasks boat operators on safety, sensitizes marine marketers on importance of life jacket

BY SUZY CHUKWUECHEDOM / ONITSHA

In its efforts to ensure the safety of water transport and users, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Onitsha Area office has carried out routine sensitisation exercise to the marine cable market Asaba and Marine Market Onisha to enlighten the traders on the importance of life jacket while using water transportation.

This was in line with the direction given by the Managing Director of NIWA, Mr.Bolaji Oyebami on the safety of travelers plying the water wave this season.

Speaking to Daily News Nigeria, the Area Manager National Inland Waterways Authority Onitsha, Mr. Suleman Atanecious Nicolas explained that it was their routine exercise to educate and sensitize the boat operators and passengers at the waterfront on the importance of using life jacket while travelling through water especially this festive season.

Suleman said the aim of the 4th quarter’s sensitization at Onitsha and Asaba waterfront was to reawaken the people directly both traders, operators and passengers on their safety measures to avoid unnecessary accident this season.

He called on the boat operators to avoid rushing, overloading goods and passengers in the same boat.

The Manager urged them to always make use of life jackets so as to avoid boat mishap, pointing out that the commission had recorded a lot of accidents in the past few months.

He stressed on non compliance of some of the boat operators on the use of life jacket, saying that the Maine security agencies in collabation with taskforce would by next year embark on proper enforcement to arrest and persecute offenders.

Suleman appreciated the press for always assisting them towards disseminating information to the water operators.

Earlier while addressing the traders at the marine cable market Asaba and marine market Onitsha, Mr Valentine Orizu admonished the traders to always put on life jacket before embarking on any journey with boat to prevent fatality during mishap.

One of the captains at the Asaba waterfront, Mr Peter Okenye appealed to the Government to assist them by subsidizing the costs of life jackets, saying, “We know the importance of it but some of us cannot afford buying it.”

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.