Boat accidents: Lagos warns operators of rickety boats

LAGOS State Government says operators of rickety boats in the state should dispose of them, or face sanctions.

The Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Abisola Kamson, said this on Monday during a one-day training organised by LASWA for water guards on safety and rescue techniques.

Kamson said rickety boats and vessels must go, for the government to be able to effectively tackle boat accidents in the state.

Kamson, who encouraged more residents to embrace water transport, said the present administration would do everything possible to sanitise the water transport sector.

She said, “The Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration will ensure safety of lives and property through quality of water transport system in the state.”

The LASWA boss emphasised the importance of water guards in ensuring that water transport remained the safest and most efficient mode of public transport.

She added that the training programme was aimed at boosting the knowledge of water guards on water transport safety techniques.

She added that the state government remained committed to developing water transport system in Lagos in line with the global best practice.

She said, “We are going to come out with the standard that the vessel operators must comply with. It is no longer business as usual as an aggressive enforcement of guidelines for operators of commercial boats, coupled with a media campaign, will soon be inaugurated as part of efforts to reassure citizens that the state government is committed to their safety.”

During the training, a safety consultant, Barry Ipaa, took the participants through water survival techniques.

He also gave a live demonstration on how to administer Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.

Advertisements