Mishaps: Lagos arrests six boat operators, impounds engines

The Lagos State Waterways Authority has impounded engines of six passengers’ boat operators in its renewed efforts to sanitise waterways to prevent boat mishaps.

Its General Manager, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos by Mrs Nkechi Ajayi, the Public Affairs Officer of LASWA on Tuesday.

There have been reports of accidents on waterways in Lagos in recent times, the latest being July 29, which claimed more than 10 lives.

Emmanuel expressed LASWA’s commitment to continually ensure the safety of ferry passengers in the state.

According to him, the arrest of erring boat operators is part of the authority’s efforts in the ongoing enforcement and monitoring exercise across the inland waterways.

“The patrol team of Lagos State Waterways Authority earlier seized a total number of six boat engines belonging to commercial ferry operators that were caught flouting safety regulations on the waterways.

“Their offences include: not wearing life jackets, overloading, reckless driving, among other offences which could have resulted in preventable fatalities when accidents occur,” the LASWA boss said.

He said areas covered during the safety compliance operations were Mile 2, Kirirkiri, Abule Osun Jetty, Alex Jetty, Liverpool, Ebute-Ojo all in the Ojo axis of Lagos.

Emmanuel said the authority would no longer condone any action that would be against the safety standards of the state inland waterways.

“Any erring operator will be sanctioned appropriately,” the general manager added.