Boat mishaps: Residents shun waterways transportation

as govt assures of adequate safety By Olasunkanmi Akoni In reference to a rider-ship survey of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, about a year ago, over 1,800,000 people in the state travel by water monthly, up from 1.5 million recorded as at June 2012. At present, there are over 47 ferry operators currently providing services to water travelers in the state. The Managing Director of LASWA, Mr Adeyinka Marinho, stated that the projection in the six years is still far less to the targeted number of five million every month. According to him, 117 vessels are being operated by 47 operators on the waterways, and more are expected. Marinho said that as the number of the rider ship survey increases, the agency is also working round the clock to expand facilities that will enhance both the user and providers of ferry services. He disclosed that the agency on the directive of the government had commenced massive rehabilitation and reconstruction of some major jetties across the state. Besides, LASWA had also concluded plans to begin lightening up the waterways so that commuters also travel at night adding that the move to encourage the use of the waterways as a mode of transportation was part of the on-going integrated transport system being promoted by the state government. He however, warned both commuters and boat operators to ensure that every safety rule and regulation governing the use of the waterways is strictly adhered to as any breach would be met with equal sanction. “LASWA has been working hard with a lot of its operators; we have increased awareness on the waterways and we have more operators and vessels,” he said. “We have now reached a stage where we have been able to move about 1.8 million people per month, and if you look at our figures, they are still rising,” Marinho said. The managing director said that many people were opting for the waterways to get to their destinations in good time. “The movement from Lagos Island to Ikorodu takes about 25 minutes; it takes the same time to get to Ojo. So, more people are getting aware that they can get to their destinations safely and quicker by water.” But that claims are soon becoming g a thing of the past as recent investigations revealed that patronage in waterways have reduced drastically following incessant boat mishaps with attendant deaths along the waterways in the state. Sadly enough, the victims are mostly women and children whenever such incident happens. It will be recalled that on March 12, 2014, a major boat accident happened, killing about 17 passengers on board along a canal on 4th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos. According to eye-witnesses, the incident happened at about 7.30 pm as one of the six survivors rushed to the FESTAC Police station to alert the police. Local divers had to be mobilised to help with the rescue efforts. Mr Jola Ogunlusi, President, Festival Town Residents Association (FTRA), said “Local divers had to be mobilised to lead the rescue effort. Of the 24 passengers who were said to be on board the boat, only six were able to help themselves. We could only recover 11 bodies that day.” The FTRA president recalled that in 2001, the state government had mobilised to the site to start work on the development of a bridge across the canal at 4th Avenue and 13th Road on 6th Avenue, “but the project was politicised and they had to abandon the site”. According to report, the boat was overloaded because the passengers were all rather anxious to cross the canal. “The makeshift bridge has been built more than four times in the past, but once there is a heavy rainfall, it is usually washed away. “People do not listen to instructions warning them to desist from using the boats or the makeshift bridge to cross the canal again. “Both the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Council and the FTRA have consistently warned them on that. About three years ago, three persons lost their lives in a similar incident on the canal,” he said.Ogunlusi added that the FTRA would now write to the Hon. Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and the FHA, to take urgent steps to build a bridge to link 42 Road in 4th Avenue and 13th Road of 6th Avenue. Recently too, April 2, 2014, tragedy occurred again and seven bodies, including a pregnant woman were confirmed dead while 13 people, were rescued alive when a passenger boat, Bell Marine, capsized late evening along Majidun Area, Ikorodu. According to LASWA boss, the boat mishap happened around 5:45pm involving a passenger boat with 21passengers travelling along the 3rd Mainland –Oworonsoki axis on the way to Majidun Area of Ikorodu. “Investigations revealed that the boat which departed from the Ebute-Ero jetty of Lagos Island at about 5:30pm for the Majidun Jetty in Ikorodu hit a large object under-water in the course of the voyage .The impact of the hit damaged the hull of the boat and resulted into a high inflow of water thereby causing the boat to sink. “The swift response of the LASWA rescue team to the scene of the mishap made it possible to rescue 13 passengers alive onboard the distressed boat; the team also recovered seven trapped in the sunken vessel from the depth of the lagoon and immediately rushed them to Ikorodu General Hospital where they were confirmed dead by the doctors that attended to the rescue mission.” Lagos sets up 11-Man C’ttee to prevent future occurrence Consequently, as part of measures to prevent further occurrence of avoidable boat mishaps, the state government through the Ministry of Transportation, during the week set up an 11 Man Inter– Ministerial Fact Finding Committee to ascertain and determine the immediate and remote causes of the April 2nd, 2014 boat mishap at Ikorodu and such other similar incidents in the past. While expressing its sadness over the unfortunate boat accident which occurred in Ikorodu that claimed lives of some residents who were returning from work, government commiserated with the family members of the deceased and sympathised also with those injured. Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, who announced the setting up of the committee, explained that it was meant to ascertain the cause(s) leading to the accident and prevent such from occurring in future. He added that it also aimed to ascertain and determine the immediate and remote causes of recent boat mishaps to ascertain and confirm details of the accident and make recommendations as may be considered necessary to avoid a recurrence of such incidents, promote safe practices and adherence to safety standard in water transportation in the state. The 11-Man Committee had its members drawn from the Ministry of Transportation: Mr. Olajide Tairu, the Director, Public Transportation and Commuter Service as Chairman; Mr. Sina Thorpe the Assistant Director, Press/Public Relations; Mr. Kehinde Olanipekun, Assistant Director, Finance and Administration and Mr. M Loya, Chief Works, Superintendent with representatives drawn from the Ministries of Justice, Works, and The Environment. Representatives from the Lagos State Safety Commission, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos State Fire Service are to also serve as members of the Committee. The state government therefore, urged interested members of the public to avail the committee with necessary information and other necessary details at their disposal that would assist the government in improving the standard of water transportation to “the Committee on Boat Mishap,” Office of the Commissioner for Transportation, Block 17, 1st floor, the Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja. Opeifa, who later appeared before members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to explain the remote and immediate causes of boat mishaps with a view of preventing future occurrence, however, assured residents that government have adequate infrastructure and manpower to ensure safety on waterways, hence, there was need for panic. Also, LASWA has concluded plans to hold stakeholders’ forum with operators to chart a new course on enhancing safety of lives and property in water transportation. Residents/Operators react One of the regular passengers that travel on water, Mr. Abiodun Oyelusi, who often boards ferry from Ikorodu to the Island expressed his reservation for travelling henceforth on water. According to him, the last Ikorodu boat mishap further confirms his spouse fear about travelling on waters.