Kebbi boat mishap: Reconditioning operations of Nigeria’s Waterways
Transportation in Nigeria has over time been a subject coloured with records of fatalities. While road accidents in the Country have been a phenomenon of rife occurrences with records of catastrophic calamities, other forms of transport accidents though not as pronounced as the records of the former, have also had their profile of calamities. The preponderance of road usage as the largest means of transportation over other means as rail, water and the air ways, in the Country may be pointed to as one of the factors responsible for the disturbing profile of accidents overshadowing other means of transportation in the Country. Peradventure, the preponderance of usage of other networks of transportation would have assumed similar dimension of huge fatalities, particularly when thought is given to poor state of infrastructures which have been noted to be a major source of transport accidents in the Country. While the subject of ramshackle roads remains a factor in the observation of the causes of accidents, the preponderance of such incidents as earlier stated may be attributable to the overshadowing usage of the means of transportation. Hence, the reality of poor infrastructures is one which would have apparently also recorded proliferated incidents of fatalities should such similar traffic on road usage be the case in other means of transportation.
The need to come to understand the fact that each transportation means has its peculiarities is paramount. In this light, since population growth, industrialisation and societal complexities, have continued to take society beyond the usual tradition, it has only become rational that efforts be diversified to embrace new means of transportation or better still, develop existing ones. However, it is apparent the topographic and geographic character of cities also constitute a strong factor in the formations of its network of transportation. Hence, riverine areas or coastal cities surrounded by waters, if not of necessity, would by choice have to embrace water transportation as alternative to other means of transportation.
The character of these dimensions of transportation reality are not alien to Nigeria. Transportation experience in many cities and towns surrounded by water across the Country, have had to by necessity or by choice alternative embrace commuting by water. However, it is apparent that water transportation in the Country is largely still at the infantile stage. The underdeveloped state of the waterways in the Country presents a situation where transportation by water poses risk to users of this means of transportation. The prevailing reality much more present a subsisting reality of absence of a well coordinated system to drive the needed networks. Hence, the prevailing weakened architecture deployed to coordinate the navigation of the transport means have made it largely unattractive and a source of huge risk to commuters.
On Wednesday, reports of the capsizing of a boat ferrying about 200 persons, mostly artisans, miners and traders from Niger State, to Warra in Kebbi State, was a tragedy. The account of about 150 of the passengers who reportedly drowned was no pleasing news to the ear. Report had revealed that the accident happened around 10:00am in Tsohuwan Labata village, Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The Secretary, Red Cross, Kebbi State branch, Ibrahim Ngaski, who was quoted in a reaction had said: “Majority of the passengers were artisans, miners and traders, who were returning from Niger State to Kebbi State. Information indicated that only one corpse was recovered, while a rescue mission is ongoing. The absence of rescue equipment is the major impediment to the rescue operation. The information at hand said the boat was conveying about 200 people. We are waiting to hear from our men, who have since joined the rescue team. So far, only one body has been recovered.”
The Sarkin Samari of Warra, Adamu Umar Warra, who was quoted while addressing journalists on the mishap had said: “Almost every single household in the village has its member in the ill-fated boat. The boat was carrying over 150 persons and capsized in the deepest part of the River Niger. So far, only four dead bodies have been recovered, while 18 persons have been rescued and rushed to hospital for medical attention.”
A quote from the Chairman of the Ngaski Local Government Area, Abdullahi Buhari Warra, while speaking to the BBC Hausa Service had stated: “The accident occurred between 9:00am and 10:0am this morning (Wednesday) and all the passengers in the boat are in the river and there is no hope of getting them alive. We have also learnt that there are eight people from the same family, who are involved in the accident. In fact, many people have died and nobody can precisely say the number. We were only able to rescue 22 people, who have been rushed to the Warra General Hospital for medical attention.We also recovered one corpse of a girl, but the rest were drowned in the river. It was supposed to carry only 80 people, but it was carrying 160, including bags of sand.”
Since the character of nature is driven by changes under which society grow both in population and complexities to pose new challenges, it is indisputable that the growth of society will evidently bring in the reality of complex cities where the need for intermodal transport system embracing the networks of more than one means of transportation, would be an unavoidable necessity if meaningful communal life would be achieved. In this light, the need for the Government to set the foundation for a well defined system to drive the Waterways in the Country is important.
Since Nigeria is blessed with coastal features, the significance of taking advantage of same is important. Hence, the need to map out a working system to navigate the patterns of the means of transportation in the Country is paramount. Such system should practically take care of all levels of operations in the waterways, from commercial, private, communal to international frontiers. It is therefore important to take the concentration on water transportation in the Country beyond activities of Port Authorities. The Federal Government should set the working foundation by practically engaging State Governments to develop an overarching roadmap of networking in the waterways across the Federation with defining patterns to avoid losses and calamities.
The need to put the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), on its toes is important. Since the primary objectives for its establishment include to improve and develop inland waterways for navigation; provide an alternative mode of transportation for the evacuation of economic goods and persons; and execute the objectives of the national transport policy as they concern inland waterways; it is essential that efforts be strategically channeled towards metamorphic parameters to expand and vitalise the scope of its operation with well defined reorientation. Such reorganisation should be redefined to create parameters of harmonious linkages with Waterways Authorities of respective States in the Country towards developing a networking system to develop a robust waterway transportation in the Country, which is safe for lives and businesses.
