NIWA Commiserates with Families of Victims of Shiroro Boat Accident, To Come Hard on Violators of Safety Regulations.
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The boat capsized in Nigeria’s territorial water
The National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, has commiserated with the government and people of Niger State especially the families of those passengers involved in the boat accident at Shiroro local government area, on Saturday, 23rd July 2022.
In a statement by NIWA and signed by its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Jibril Darda’u, the water transport regulator expressed regret for the avoidable loss of lives, and equipment and prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead.
The statement reiterated the resolve of the Authority not to be deterred in its onerous mandate of enforcing compliance with all stipulated safety regulations.
Jibril Darda’u added that NIWA as a responsible and responsive regulator will step up measures to achieve voluntary compliance with all safety rules by boat operators, the drivers and the passengers.
He said NIWA is saddened the more because all of its advocacies to ensure that basic safety guidelines and regulations are adhered to by boat drivers, have not yielded much expected overt actions towards those critical messages disseminated throughout the nooks and crannies of the country.
Darda’u lamented that despite NIWA’s humongous investment in public education, and enforcement, boat drivers and operators still sail in bad weather; overload their boats and oftentimes do not even wear life jackets for their own safety!!!
He however added a caveat that, “unless operators and passengers buy into the imperative of safety on the waterways, no amount of enforcement or compulsion on the part of the regulatory bodies can bring about the desired results”.
NIWA spokesperson affirmed that “the Authority will continue to enforce compliance with safety rules and regulations and employ other measures to achieve safe waterways for all”, said Jibril Darda’u.
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