By Innocent Orok
Its no longer news that Inland waterways transportation has remained one of the oldest means of conveyance of humans and goods from time immemorial , especially in riverine areas.
Sadly, the Nigerian factor which has caught up with every facets of our lives is keeping us backwards, even when others have moved on both technologically and man power development in waterways mode of transportation. This backwardness coupled with ignorance has caused us avoidable tragedies which is now our nightmare.
Niger State is again in the news recording over 70 deaths and over 100 passengers said to be rescued by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) officials from an alleged over loaded wooden boat mishap carrying over 200 people .
According to a statement from NIWA issued on Wednesday it said “The management confirmed that the accident involving a wooden boat with about 200 passengers on board was travelling from Gbajibo Mudi to New Gbajibo at about 8:30pm. in the night when it suddenly capsized. According to NIWA, preliminary findings show that the incident might be due to the overloading of the passenger boat.
“While the Authority maintained that rescue efforts are still ongoing, it said that as of the last count, it has rescued more than 100 passengers from different parts of the channel.
“The Authority therefore warns boat operators to desist from flouting safety rules, including ban on night travel and overloading of boats,” the statement said.
As usual , press statement of self exoneration is flying up and down with accusing fingers pointing at different directions, but in the mist of the blame game lives and property have been heavily lost. Who should be held responsible?
No doubt , the inland waterways ecosystem has a regulator which is funded by tax payers money to carryout their functions, have they been doing that holistically?
WHAT IS THE FUNCTIONS OF NIWA?
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) was established vide Act of the National Assembly, CAP 47, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004 (Decree No. 13 of 1997 as amended ), with the primary responsibility to improve and develop Nigeria’s inland waterways for navigation.
Provide regulation for inland water navigation;
provide an alternative mode of transportation for the evacuation of economic goods and persons: and
execute the objectives of the national transport policy as they concern inland waterway.
MISSION: To provide regulatory economical and operational leadership in the Nation’s Inland Waterways system and develop infrastructural facilities for an efficient intermodal transportation system in line with global best practices that is safe, seamless and affordable.
VISION:To make Nigeria the leader in inland water Transportation, development and management in Africa.
Statistics has shown that a total of 10,000km of Nigeria is endowed with inland waterways ecosystem. States that can be accessed either through River Niger or Benue include: Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and Taraba. While the core coastal states in Nigeria are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is the agency saddled with the functions of regulating the activities of Inland Waterways users across Nigeria, especially as empowered by the recent Supreme Court Judgement. How far has NIWA gone in carrying out its functions ?
Truth be told, NIWA has not really pay attention to its core functions to sensitize and educate its stakeholders on the modern transportation techniques, codes, equipment among others used for inland waterways ecosystem as practiced over the world.
Aside from Lagos, which serves as the epic centre of the agency’s activities, other states are as dead in NIWA presence as non existence, even Lokoja , the headquarters of NIWA is a dead area.
NIWA AND CREATION OF MINISTRY OF MARINE AND Blue Economy
Due to the the increasing demand and usage of Inland Waterways in recent times in Nigeria, stakeholders have clamored for the balkanization of the Ministry of Transportation to create room for Ministry of Maritime Affairs which will concentrate on maritime issues for a robust industry. In answering to the demand, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on assumption of office created the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. Five core Maritime agencies, NPA, NIMASA, NSC, NIWA and MAN, Oron was seeded to it.
Among the five agencies NIWA was prioritize to under the new ministry actualize it’s full potentials of championing a holistic Inland Waterways transportation policy which Nigerians and maritime stakeholders have been clamouring for.
With President Tinubu allies taking charge both as Minister and Managing Director of NIWA. Any policy direction?.
To be continued —-
Contact: roamrepporters@gmail.com
for enquiries and Adverts placement.