The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to shut boat operators who operate without life jacket

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has threatened to shut down any boat operator who carries any passenger on water without life jacket.

The General Manager, Lagos Area Zone, Adamu Muazu handed the directive to boat operators while addressing press on the recent arrest of a boat conveying twelve school children of Government Secondary School from Takwa Bay to Osbourne for a school event without life jackets.

The event which happened on Thursday last week saw two suspects; Balogun Oriyomi, boat owner and Solomon Gbenga, boat driver arrested and currently in custody of the Authority.

He added that the operators and driver of the impounded boat would be handed over to the right authorities and subsequently charged to the court under extant laws to serve as a deterrent to would-be defaulters.

“We have lost so many lives from boat mishaps that every necessary step must be taken to protect further loss of lives on our waterways,” he said.

Muazu expressed disappointment over the development saying the waterways regulatory agency recently embarked on a sensitization campaign to different parts of the state on the necessity of life jackets when travelling on water.

Muazu said, “If I see any passenger boarding the boat or coming down from the boat without the life jacket, I will shut the operators down for one month.

“If any passenger refuses to wear life jacket, give them their money and turn them back.

“I am giving you the last warning; make sure you do things right and also make sure that your life jacket is standard.

He however quipped that the Authority would arrest anyone with substandard life jackets adding that safety is first.

Speaking further, he stated that “The matter of life jacket is very serious and there is no exception to it. Let everybody wear their life jacket before they board,” he maintained.