“One Death Too Many” – NAPS mourns Victims of Kogi Boat Mishap, Wants Wooden Boat Phased-Out
The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has decried the spate of boat mishap in the country, calling on relevant authorities to scale up the campaign of safety regulations on the waterways.
The association also called on the National Assembly to legislate for increased budgetary allocation to the maritime and Inland Waterway sectors, to enable the agency meet up the demands of its duties.
According to them, this funding should focus on enhancing the safety infrastructure, providing better equipment for emergency responses, and recruiting more trained personnel.
National Secretary General of NAPS, Agada Noah made the call on Tuesday in Lokoja during a press conference following recent boat accident that claimed close to 200 lives in Kogi state.
According to him, the tragedy serves as a painful reminder of the recurrent boat accidents across the country, many of which he said were preventable.
“It is disheartening to note that a significant proportion of these mishaps can be attributed to human factors, including negligence, lack of adherence to safety protocols, alcohol, sailing at nights without headlamps and the use of substandard or overloaded vessels by the boat riders. Other contributing factors include poor infrastructure, inadequate emergency response systems, and non adherence to public awareness about waterway safety.
“It is imperative to tackle the root causes of these preventable accidents. Therefore, stakeholders must enforce stricter regulations on boat operators, ensure regular maintenance of vessels, and impose penalties for non-compliance with safety standards.
“While we understand the unrelenting efforts of the National Inward Waterways Authority (NIWA) to sensitize the riverine communities, boat users and other stakeholders, we still call on the Federal and State Governments, legislators as well as relevant agencies, to prioritize safety awareness campaigns. Grassroots sensitization must be intensified, educating citizens on the importance of adhering to safety measures while using water transportation.”
The student union called on the Federal government to expedite the means of facing out wooden boats and replacing them with modern ones.
He also noted that the Federal government through the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy should pay more attention to NIWA by increasing budgetary allocations and increase manpower to meet up with the Renewed Hope agenda of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“That people should be held accountable for waterways accidents or any form of mishap, negligence or breach of waterways safety precautions. That National assembly members who come from the riverine areas focus on collaborating with the water transporters and provide modern facilities, campaigns and sensitization to reduce accidents.
“Therefore, as the representatives of the younger generation, we remain committed to advocating for the safety and well-being of Nigerians. We enjoin relevant authorities to ensure that proactive measures are taken to prevent future occurrences of such tragedies.”
End.
