The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigeria, has expressed displeasure over the frequent loss of lives associated with passenger ferries on coastal and inland waterways.
Calling for more safety culture measures by users and stakeholders, President of CILT Nigeria, Barrister Mfon Usoro, in a statement last Thursday, disclosed that the institute’s Committee investigated incessant boat mishaps in Nigeria and discovered that over 300 lives were lost on the waterways in 2023.
Usoro, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said “An independent online investigation by the CILT, Nigeria Publicity Committee, revealed that over 300 lives were lost to different boat accidents across the country in 2023”.
Giving a vivid explanation on the mishaps in the nation’s brown waters, he said, “Recent ferry and boat fatalities recorded include: 5 Nollywood actors and crew in Asaba, Delta State; 3 medical students in Calabar, Cross River State; 3 passengers in Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos State; 8 dead and estimated 100 persons declared missing in Borgu district, Niger State; 8 passengers in Anambra State.
“Overwhelming cause of the ferry disasters were the occurrence of one or a combination of the following factors: overloading, non-use of lifejackets, adverse weather conditions, human error, sub-standard boats and ferries, mechanical failures like engine breakdowns, inadequate safety measures, absence of navigational aids, non-availability of search and rescue services and regulatory gaps”.
She stated that safety of lives and property at sea/rivers is of paramount concern to everyone, especially in the light of recurring boat mishaps.
According to her, the incidents not only result in tragic loss of lives, but also pose significant economic and environmental risks.
The CILT boss stated that “While we support the use of inland waterways, it is saddened by the frequent loss of lives associated with passenger ferries in our coastal and inland waterways.
“While we support the use of inland waterway transports as an alternative and viable mode of transportation, the incessant ferry-related incidents resulting in fatalities has prompted a closer look at the deficit in safety culture and non-adherence to safety measures by the parties responsible for safety in our waters”.
Usoro, who is also a the former Secretary, Abuja MoU, said all stakeholders that constitute the “circle of responsibility” in safety of water transport “must work in collaboration to improve safety consciousness of ferry operators, jetty owners, and persons that use waterways transport”.

The exclusion of women in the digital world has resulted in a whooping loss of $1trillion in the economies of developing nations in the last decade.
Chairman of the “MMS Hall of Famers’ Initiative”, Amb. Dr. Unyime-Ivy King, stated this during part of events to commemorate the 2024 “International Women’s Day” in Lagos State.
Making a presentation as Chairman of the occasion, with the theme, “Inspire Inclusion of Amazons”, Amb. King said the loss will increase by 50 percent in 2025 if nothing is done in this regard.
According to her, “Beside economic benefits, enhancing women’s safety and equal access to digital technologies, she noted that women-to-women support ranks as the greatest catalyst in achieving gender balancing.
Urging women over the world to reject the primitive customs that confines them to the kitchen, she said, “When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. And, when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. Today, we are here to applaud them.
“One of our struggles is the sparse number of women in positions of power. From corporate boardrooms, to the courts and political leadership around the world, the small percentage of women in senior positions continues to stymie progress on issues from pay to humanitarian aid to discrimination in all its forms.
“The sooner we understand that the small number of women in leadership roles holds back not only women, but all people, the sooner we will be able to advance society as a whole”.
She emphasized that “the biggest challenge facing women today is patriarchy. This is especially evident in the realm of politics. Regardless of a woman’s experience, education or abilities, the patriarchal nature of the society fosters the perception that women are less qualified and less competent than men.
“What patriarchy has done is convince people that a strong and intelligent woman represents a problem; a disruption to the social order rather than an integral part of it. It is, therefore, no coincidence that many countries are completely out of step when it comes to electing a woman as President”.
Speaking further, she noted that Africa is notorious for creating the greatest challenge to the emancipation of women, especially in political leadership, saying that the era where women were confined to the background as domestic and family caretakers was over.
“While women have maintained the highest office of leadership in Liberia, India, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Dominica, to mention a few, the same cannot be said in Africa or globally. I believe the time has come for more women to get into top leadership positions in this country in various sectors”, she said.
She applauded women that have been selected to be inducted into the MMS Plus Hall of Famers, and urged them to be the torchbearer of gender balancing and empowerment.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), MMS Woman of Furtune Hall of Fame Initiative, Mr. Kingsley Anaroke, said the theme of this year’s IWD is “Inspire Inclusion”, saying it’s “a muse that has provided another moment of sober reflection on the struggles over decades on gender diversity and request for the elimination of the inhibitive streams of bias and stereotypes.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have maintained lead in the efficiency and transparency compliance ranking scale released by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
In a report released on Monday, both agencies and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) emerged as the overall top-performing agencies among all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the Federal Government in Nigeria, which are ranked on the basis of transparency and efficiency compliance, assessing their ability to provide, cost-effective, timely and customer-friendly services.
NCDMB and SON were ranked first and second respectively in terms of efficiency and transparency, making it the second straight year SON has clinched this award.
Analysis of the PEBEC Business Facilitation Performance Results, which covered January – December 2023, showed that NCDMB scored 70.07 percent, SON scored 69.5 percent, CAC had 65.12 percent, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, (FCCPC), 65.04 percent, and Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM, 63.51 percent.
According to PEBEC, the high-performing MDAs demonstrated commendable performance in both efficiency and transparency through diligent adherence to their Service Level Agreements (SLAs) during the year under review.
In acknowledging this recognition by PEBEC, the Director General/Chief Executive, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, credits this accomplishment to the hardworking and diligent staff of the SON, noting that the recognition is a testimony of SON’s unwavering commitment to business and trade facilitation in the country in line with the Federal Government’s resolve to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic,
Lagos