Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola
The Lagos State Government has promised to prioritise the safety of lives and property on waterways by developing a safety code for water transporters and maritime operators in the state.
The Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, said this on Monday, during a stakeholders’ conference themed, ‘For Safer Water Ways.’
The meeting was organised by the Lagos State Safety Commission in conjunction with Lagos State Waterways Authority to ensure that residents have confidence commuting by water.
Mojola said, “This deliberation on the development of the Lagos State waterways code will go a long way in creating a new frontier for safety on our waterways which is a major focus area under the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of this current administration. The development and implementation of this safety code will entrench confidence in the good people of Lagos in our waterways transportation channel.”
The DG of LSSC added that the proposed safety measures will involve creating awareness and training of water transport operatives.
“In making the state a 21st-century economy, there is a need to develop the waterways into an alternative medium of transportation where hundreds of thousands of people would move daily across the waters in an extremely safe manner. This waterways code will include training of operators and operatives, sensitisation and advocacy, a safety audit of jetties, vessels and terminals and document review,” he said.
The Head, Survey Unit, LASWA, Ukeme Sunday, said, “The proposed waterways safety code will complement LASWA’s effective efforts in developing regulations, enforce necessary safe passenger transportation and merchandise goods movement measures, manage and mitigate the adverse impacts derived from maritime activities such as piracy, smuggling, sand dredgers, abandoning of logs, fishermen nets, wrecks and impediments.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Dr Moboalji Gaji, said that with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, the state’s waterways will be safer for commuting and moving goods and services.