By Steve Agbota
In a significant advancement for water safety and the enhancement of inland water transportation, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola on Wednesday presented 3,500 life jackets to the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
The donation ceremony which took place at LASWA headquarters at the Five Cowries Terminal in Lagos, reinforced the unwavering commitment of the Federal Government to establish safe and efficient water transport systems nationwide, with a special focus on Lagos State, the busiest waterways hub in Nigeria. In his address, the Minister, who was represented by the Director of Maritime Services, Mercy Ilori, explained that the initiative highlights the crucial importance of safety in Nigeria’s water transport sector, particularly as the nation ramps up efforts to unlock the vast economic potential of the blue economy.
“It gives me great pleasure to witness this important event, aimed at advancing the national initiative of enhancing safety on Nigeria’s inland waterways. I sincerely appreciate the Government of Lagos State led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his effort and zeal in redefining water transportation in the state. It is well-noticed and quite commendable.
“I also extend my appreciation to the good people of Lagos State. Indeed, excellence is your workforce and you have demonstrated it again. Your warm reception and hospitality are quite appreciable. Thank you once again for having us around,” he said.
He added that the distribution of life jackets in Lagos State is a current and important initiative to foster a culture of safety on the nation’s waterways, particularly in communities where water transport is an essential part of daily lives.
According to him, this campaign has been conducted in Niger State; we have done that in Bayelsa, Anambra State, and Akwa Ibom today.
“And so today we are here, and we will move to other littoral states in the coming weeks. The challenge posed by water is high and rarely detected, as fatalities across the country remain a grave concern to the government. So, many of these mishaps are preventable and often arise from neglect of basic safety measures, particularly the use of life jackets. “It is in recognition of this that the marine and blue economy aligned with the renewable agenda of the President of Nigeria, to patronize life-saving interventions, to bring about tangible change in the nation’s waterway. Our commitment is to end the avoidable loss of lives on the Nigerian waterway,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of the Lagos State Government, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, explained that due to the huge population of the State, it adopts a multi-modal transport system which leads to movement via rail, road, and water. “I’m so happy today that we have this initiative from the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
“It will not only boost safety, but it will also help in extending our reach now to a lot of our private operators that have, over time, had challenges in getting these life jackets.
“One thing that I can assure you is that it’s also going to give people reassurance.
What we have is that people do have a phobia for water, but the moment they start seeing intentional moves on the waterways, more life jackets, and better boats on the waterways, we’ll be able to secure the waterways and free our roads from congestion,” he stated.
Also giving goodwill messages during the Life jackets presentation was the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA), Dr Bola Oyebamiji, Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr. Sarat Braimah and General Manager of LASWA, Damilola Emmanuel amongst others.
The life jackets donation strengthens LASWA’s existing safety initiatives and supports Lagos State’s ongoing campaign to promote the essential use of life jackets among all waterways users.
The event also showcased a live demonstration of the proper use of life jackets
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