National Inland Waterways Authority bans speed boats from Lagos waterways
Speed boats will no longer be allowed to operate on Lagos waterways, according to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
The agency cites the high number of boat mishaps on the waters has its reason for the ban.
The General Manager, Lagos Area Office of NIWA, Muazu Sambo, lamented the recent boat accident that claimed the lives of about five persons at the weekend.
He also lamented the lack of standard fibre boats on the waterways, saying that the authority had given operators enough time to standardise their operations, which they failed to do.
“As far as I am the area manager of Lagos Office, ‘flying coffins’ won’t operate again. In 2016, we gave them enough time to standardise their operations by giving them opportunities to seek loans but they have refused,” he said.
“Beach masters will be in place across jetties in Lagos within the next two weeks. The beach masters will receive uniforms, merchant navy training and they will have a code of conducts. We will let you know who the beach masters are and contacts of the search and rescue teams. NIWA will also be visiting the jetties at random and seizing substandard life jackets.
“Education and enlightenment is critical and we will address that on the deployment of beach masters and they will be trained. Their duties include enforcement of safety standards at the jetties at all times. Also, we will make sure that boat captains are not drunk. There will equally be quarterly awareness campaigns on safety,” he added.
