A group known as the Marine Crafts Builders Association of Nigeria (MCBAN) has expressed concerns about recurring boat mishaps in Nigeria, noting that the country recorded 3,130 accidents on its water in the last 10 years.
Director General of the association, Clem Ifezue, while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, said, “I don’t think enough has been done in this sector. That’s why we have been seeing all these accidents on water here and there.
“In the last 10 years, we are looking at the statistics, Nigeria has recorded about 3,130 accidents on water. That is huge. If you divide it by 10, you are going to have over 300 accidents every year. If you divide it by 365, may be you should be having one accident everyday. And each of the accidents came with fatality. Don’t we have value for life in this country? Which accident will happen before we begin to talk?”
Factors responsible for boat accident in the country, according to him, include recklessness of drivers, alcohol consumption by drivers, overloading and shunning of life jackets by passengers.
He urged the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), which has the responsibility to regulate, monitor and enforce laws on the waterways, to rise up to its responsibility.
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