The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians to be safety conscious especially on the inland waterways while reiterating its commitment to ensuring safety channels at all times.
It stated this in a newsletter signed and made available to Journalists on Thursday by the Area Manager NIWA, Niger- Kwara States Area office in Minna, Mr. Akapo Adeboye, highlighting that every user of the Inland Waterways needs to be responsible and safety conscious, emphasizing that the transportation Code, 2023 has been gazetted and shall be enforced to the letter.
The statement added that it is imperative to remind everyone among others to note that all boat operators must desist from loading their boats beyond the approved limits, warning that the consumption of alcohol and other substances is prohibited before and during boat rides.
NIWA, highlighted some other safety and security measures against the backdrops of the forthcoming festive season, as the Christians in Nigeria join their counterparts across the world to mark the Christmas and the New Year celebration which is fast approaching/ around the corner.
” it is mandatory for boat operators to provide lifejackets for the passengers while on board the boats free of charge, just as it said that the safety talks is compulsory, urging that boat operators must ensure that sailing passengers manifest must be properly filled and confirmed before departure and that no boat operators is permitted to operate beyond 6:00 pm,” the statement added.
The statement with the title: safety and Security Alert, stated further that all passengers are advised against night travel on the waterways, emphasizing that no passenger is permitted to engage in any activity that may destabilize the whole underway.
Furthermore, the statement, advice all passengers to put on their lifejackets while on board, stressing that it is an offense to assault or hurt or attack NIWA’s officials or river Marshalls while doing their work, saying, that “all NIWA Operational Bases have been alerted to ensure quick response to an emergency,” it maintained.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
