Worried by the incessant boat mishaps on Nigerian Waterways, the Minister of Marine and Blue, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, earlier in the year inaugurated a 7 man Committee to curb the menace. The Committee headed by Mr Bola Oyebamiji , the helmsman of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA , was given 21 days to turn in its findings. Other members of the team include the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. Dr Dayo Mobereola, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Prof Sule Abiodun, the Executive Director of the National Institute for fresh water fisheries , Dr A. M. Sule, the Provost of the Institute of Fresh Water Fisheries, Dr Babatunde Olaosekan as well as the Technical Adviser to the Minister, Prof B Fakinlede. The terms of reference handed over to the Committee include the review of existing commercial boat transport Operations and assess boat mishaps and their causative factors as well as current Safety and security compliance of boat operations , alongside existing boat specifications. As timely as this assignment seemed, especially on account of the several dozen of lives lost to boat mishaps in recent months, the initiative of the Minister was applauded by Stakeholders who over the years had called for stricter and more punitive action against those who openly violated standard rules and procedures while plying their trade.
In a previous article on this subject, this column had expressed concern that the three weeks time frame handed over to the Committee would be largely inadequate given the number of States that such a far reaching investigation was intended to cover, and stretching over 10,000 kilometers of Inland Waterways At the inauguration of the Committee in his office in Abuja, Oyetola had charged members to come with ways and means that will guarantee that Nigeria’s Waterways are the safest and most secure in the West and Central African sub region . He described the country’s Waterways as vital to commerce, transportation and livelihoods, stressing that their Safety and efficiency are paramount to the development of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
Investigations have revealed that between January 2024 and January 2025, no fewer than 452 Nigerians may have lost their lives in boat mishaps in Niger, Kogi , Kwarra, Lagos and Bayelsa States. It is obvious that the 21 days window given to Committee had since elapsed. But the question to ask is how much ground did they cover? . How many States did the Committee? Has the Committee concluded its assignment? Methink that given the seriousness of the task ahead, this Committee should be encouraged to cover every nook and cranny of our Inland Waterways. For if they must do a thorough job, the Committee should be given additional time to carry out their statutory obligations if the vision of Mr President for a safer and more secure Inland Waterways must be met.