- Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola
By Anthony Nwachukwu
In a major step towards curtailing accidents and loss of lives and improving investments in inland waterways transportation, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, will Tuesday launch the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulation code.
The event is part of the minister’s schedule during his working visit to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) headquarters in Lokoja, Kogi State, where he is also billed to commission some infrastructure.
In a statement, the minister’s spokesman, Ismail Omipidan, said the minister would also be commissioning 12 fibre-reinforced, fast-moving plastic boats and three water ambulances, which were executed by NIWA since the Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, assumed office seven months ago.
According to him, the deployment of the boats, which are pilot schemes, are part of deliberate efforts to phase out wooden canoes with a view to eliminating incessant accidents on the waterways.
On his part, Oyebamiji said the visit would afford his team an opportunity to account for its stewardship in the past seven months, adding: “After receiving my appointment letter about six months ago, the minister charged me to find a lasting solution to the incessant accidents on the waterways.”
“In response to that charge, my team and I have already put measures in place to address that situation.”
According to him, their first action was to gazette the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulation (2023) code for safety regulations on the inland waterways, which process has been on for many years, but which has now been concluded within six months.
“The code would be launched by the minister on Tuesday. Once launched, it will guide the operations of boat operators on the inland waterways, regulate the conduct of passengers using the waterways; and provide a framework for potential investors in water transportation.
“This would no doubt help to eliminate incessant accidents on our waterways. Also, the minister is expected to inaugurate three water ambulances for prompt search and rescue operations on the inland waterways. These ambulances would be deployed to Lagos, Port Harcourt and Niger, where the water is heavy.”
