Oyetola Constitutes Special Committee to Address Boat Mishaps
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has set up a special committee tasked with reviewing the operations of commercial boat operators along Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterways. This initiative is aimed at addressing the rising incidents of boat mishaps, which have become a growing concern across the country.
During a meeting with heads of agencies under the ministry, Oyetola emphasized the urgency of tackling the frequent boat accidents and the need for immediate solutions to reduce such occurrences to a minimum. The committee, led by Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), is expected to formulate recommendations and actionable plans to address these challenges.
The committee’s terms of reference include, but are not limited to, the following key objectives:
- Reviewing and assessing the current operations of commercial boat transport services on both coastal and inland waterways.
- Developing a comprehensive plan to address the findings from the assessment and ensure safer commercial boat operations.
- Establishing standard design specifications for basic categories of commercial boats operating in these regions.
- Proposing additional measures to ensure the safety and viability of commercial boat operations across the country.
The committee is given 21 days to complete its review and submit a comprehensive report with recommendations to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Anastasia Ogbonna, the Ministry’s Director of Information and Press, confirmed that the report will be critical in guiding future reforms in the commercial boat transport system to enhance safety and reduce mishaps.
