Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday, flagged off the state’s Water Transport Safety Awareness Programme with the distribution of 2000 life jackets to commercial water transport operators.
The governor appealed to operators and patrons of water transportation to always insist on using life jackets when onboard.
Recall that some water commuters had died recently after a boat transporting them hit a log of wood mid-water and sank. The governor pointed out that those who perished in the mishap were those who did not wear life jackets.
While speaking at Ebute-Ojo in Ojo Local Government Area, Fashola added that all passengers who intend to board a canoe, ferry or outboard motorboat must insist that the operator provide them with a life jacket before boarding the means of transportation.
He compelled operators to refuse transporting any passenger who would not use the life jacket which is representative of what a seat belt is in a vehicle.
While taking time to explain the need for safety consciousness at all times, the governor warned against overloading the ferries or boats simply because life jackets have been provided, noting that the recent ferry mishap that was recorded in South Korea resulted from overloading.
He appealed to all those who over-speed on the waterways and pilot the boats and ferries under the influence of drugs to have a rethink , saying such acts only endanger the lives of innocent passengers of the boats.
He advised all the operators who are beneficiaries of the life jackets not to keep them at home but keep them inside their boats or ferries always so that it can be useful to the passengers.
Fashola revealed that currently, the water transportation capacity of Lagos accounts for moving 1.5 to 1.6 million passengers monthly, compared to 200,000 passengers that use the mode of transportation some seven years ago.
He informed the audience that very soon, the state government would complete work on the ferry terminal concession, saying he expects that this would increase patronage of the waterways.
