ADVERTISEMENT
  • Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Friday, September 19, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
    • Football
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
    • Football
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Review NIWA Act, Allow States Control Waterways, Lawyer Tells NASS

Says scores killed in 3 boat accidents in 2024 due to regulatory failure

by Yusuf Babalola
2 years ago
in News
NIWA
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

 

Advertisement

A Lagos indigenous advocate and human rights activist, Yakubu Eleto Esq, has called on the National Assembly to review the Act establishing the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to allow states control their inland waterways.

In a statement on Tuesday, Eleto said it was unfortunate that Nigerians continue to die in hundreds every month in numerous and unavoidable mishaps because of the failure of NIWA to efficiently regulate the activities of boat operators and enforce safety standards across jetties in the country.

The lawyer said despite the recent Supreme Court ruling giving NIWA exclusive control of the waterways in Nigeria, the Authority has failed woefully to be alive to its responsibility, which was as a result of a capacity problem.

According to the advocate, in the first two weeks of January 2024, three accidents had been reported on the country’s inland waterways with scores killed due to the inefficiency of NIWA.

Related News

Court Martial Sentences Soldier To Death For Murder

3 hours ago

2025 Budget: N’Assembly Seeks Withdrawal Of Contract Circulars

4 hours ago

The most recent accident occurred on January 15, 2024 when a boat carrying 100 people in Niger State capsized with a number of dead casualties unknown.

Also, on January 8, 2024, 11 people died when two wooden fishing boats they were travelling in capsized in Bonny Rivers in Rivers State, with five of the victims being members of the same family.

Similarly, between January 4 and 5, 2024, eight persons were confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred in River Niger around Mmiata Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Eleto said, “This is aside from the thousands who lost their lives in the last five years. Unfortunately, these fatalities have been attributed to overloading, careless driving, poor maintenance of boats and non-usage of life jackets – all which are failure of regulatory compliance which wasn’t enforced by NIWA.

“It is unthinkable that two weeks into 2024, scores of Nigerians have been killed due to the negligence and incompetence of NIWA. It is more troubling because we are yet to enter the rainy season. If things are not quickly arrested, the casualties in the rainy season will be worse. But God forbid.

“The current National Assembly led by Senator Godswill Akpabio and Hon Tajudeen Abbas will save thousands of Nigerians from early graves by reviewing the NIWA Act in line with the provisions on the concurrent legislative list which gives the Federal Government and State Governments shared regulatory authority over areas like the waterways.

“Reviewing the NIWA Act will be a life-safer to many Nigerians as the move will give at least 30 coastal states including Lagos authority to regulate and control their waterways to forestall avoidable deaths through strict compliance with standard operating procedures, enforcement of the use of life jackets, and recruitment of water guards to get the job done as it is done in Lagos through the Lagos State Waterways Authority.

“If it can be done in the area of tax collection where both federal and states are allowed jurisdiction, why not in the area of waterways to guarantee the safety of lives and encourage water transportation?”

Join Our WhatsApp Channel

Tags: NIWA
SendShare10174Tweet6359Share

Other News Updates

News

Court Martial Sentences Soldier To Death For Murder

2025/09/18
News

2025 Budget: N’Assembly Seeks Withdrawal Of Contract Circulars

2025/09/18
News

Emergencies: ONSA Leads Simulation Exercise To Test National Response Preparedness

2025/09/18
News

Kwara Government Relocates NYSC Camp Over Insecurity

2025/09/18
News

Sports Reform At Heart Of Nigeria’s 2030 Games Bid ¬— Presidency

2025/09/18
News

Rivers Assembly To Probe Administrator Ibas

2025/09/18
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Haaland Scores Landmark Goal As City Beat 10-man Napoli In Champions League

Rashford Scores Twice As Barca Beat Newcastle In Champions League Opener

Court Martial Sentences Soldier To Death For Murder

2025 Budget: N’Assembly Seeks Withdrawal Of Contract Circulars

Fubara’s Whereabout Unknown Day After Reinstatement

Wike Defends Midnight Meeting With Fubara Over Rivers Election

Emergencies: ONSA Leads Simulation Exercise To Test National Response Preparedness

Wike Assures Of Non-interference In Fubara’s Choice Of Cabinet

Kwara Government Relocates NYSC Camp Over Insecurity

Sports Reform At Heart Of Nigeria’s 2030 Games Bid ¬— Presidency

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
    • Football
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.