To prevent increasing loss of lives at sea, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has appealed to state governments in the riverside areas to join hands with the agency to apply sanctions on operators of boat services who carry fuel and other hazardous items.
In addition, state governments have been implored to prevail on boat operators not to overload their boats in the interest of passengers safety.
Making the appeal at the start of a national campaign on maritime safety in Asaba on Tuesday, the Director General, NIMASA, Mr Temisan Omatseye expressed concern at the increasing loss of lives attributed to boat accidents.
The director General represented by the safety campaign team leader, Mr Tajudee Alao, told the Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Chief Lawrence Osiegbu that the safety campaign has become necessary as more Nigerians have adopted boats and canoes as a means of movement across the riverine side areas.
The NIMASA boss stressed that with the dangers inherent in water transportation, the agency is moved to strengthen its campaign to ensure that loading of passengers and goods was done in safe manner from jetties and other loading locations.
He said operator need to be educated on the dangers of overloading and speeding as this has led to the loss of lives.
With the rate accidents are occurring, Omalseye said operators need to be taught the correct use of live saving equipment.
He added that the safety campaign, one of the cardinal programmes of the agency and that boat safety, is governed by the merchant shipping rules of 1963. The Director General said operators of boats should be competent and certificated by the agency.
In his response, the Delta Commissioner for Transport, said his ministry is ready to cooperate with NIMASA to promote safety culture among boat operators.
He indicated that water transportation has been repositioned in a move to upgrade the transport modes in the state.