MARITIME SAFETY ON WATERWAYS

It is imperative for every living being to be protected from harm and undesirable outcomes. As noted in an earlier chapter, the Federal Government, decades ago, constructed dams for power generation in Nigeria, including the notable Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba dams. This led to a massive relocation of people who live on the banks of the rivers Niger and Kaduna to pave way for the operations the dams. The affected communities were exposed to ecological and socio-economic challenges with many forced to struggle daily for a means of livelihood, upon relying on the water resources for survival. Water transportation in these communities has been a necessity but with dire consequences in many instances. Over the years hundreds of lives were lost to incessant boat mishaps, that have become regular experiences.

In 2021, a catastrophic boat mishap occurred on river Niger in Wara, Kebbi State where over one hundred and twenty passengers sadly lost their lives when a wooden boat with over one hundred and eighty passengers capsized after hitting a tree trunk in the river. Only victims with life jackets or those who held onto floating objects were rescued.  About the same time thirty-five passengers also lost their lives in Shiroro on River Kaduna in a similar circumstance. This is caused mainly because of the presence of heavy waterlogs on the lakes that reserve water for the hydroelectric dams as result of negligence to safety measures. This was barely two months into Yelwa’s tenure in office. However, the pioneer Managing Director was not deterred by the teething process of the young Commission but, swiftly swung into action by setting up a technical committee to review circumstances around the incessant boat mishaps. Amongst factors identified as responsible for boat accidents and loss of lives on water transportation were heavy presence of water snags, poor conditions of boats, boat overloading and the negligence of safety instructions by the boat operators like the use of life jackets. These account for a significant percentage of losses in lives and property recorded to the menace of boat accidents across the country.

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Following a successful technical assessment of the situation, the Commission outlined clear policy direction focused on enhancing safety measures and making the waterways safer for the people to navigate freely. In June 2021, the Commission came up with implementation strategies to mitigate these risks, in conjunction with National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA) and other major stakeholders including the National Assembly. Boat Owners and Boat Operators Associations were engaged in a collaborative drive to cut tree logs on Kainji and Shiroro lakes in Niger and Kebbi States, thereby making movement safe and secure. The exercise was carried from Dole=Kaina a Nigeria-Niger Boarder Community in Kebbi state covering over 300 kilometres to Gbajibo in Kwara state, entrenching safety for navigation to over 1000 communities.

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To further contain the incessant loss of lives and property to boat accidents, the commission distributed 10,000 life jackets across riverine communities in the six pioneer member states.

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The Lifejackets provided have a 6hours floating capacity and were given to boat operators within coverage areas to make it compulsory for anyone on the water to wear for safety.

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Furthermore, NHYPPADEC supplied passenger and operational flying boats across the member states to significantly enhance transportation in riverine areas. The provision of modern boats equipped with safety gear like life jackets and swim rings not only improves mobility but also mitigates the risks associated with water transportation. However, their distribution across the states was done based on the sizes and activities on the water bodies.

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The target output on these interventions was the multiplier effect on the local economy as youth and women were also engaged in one activity or the other on the project value chain. It was a huge relief for the local communities as the intervention reduced drastically, cases of boat mishaps as well as reduced travel time. Therefore, NHYPPADEC's Tree Log Cutting Exercise, distribution of life jackets and supply of boats is a major step in addressing challenges associated with safety on waterways through impactful interventions for safer waterways. This contributes to the socioeconomic development of these communities by offering a sustainable and efficient transportation solution. The interventions hold the power to improve the standard of living for the people in these communities.