The Executive General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Vincent Nnadi, on Wednesday called out at the 2018 Marine Safety Awareness Campaign for River Niger waterways users in Onitsha.
He said that enforcement of the use of life jackets before boarding boats would reduce accidents on waterways and also help the country to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals numbers three and eight.
The SDG number three targets ensuring good health and well-being for people in all ages, while number eight encourages decent work for a decent living.
Nnadi, who was represented by Mr Charles Ngeribara, lamented over deteriorated cases of boat mishaps that have caused death of many who could have been adding great value to the country.
According to him ignorance and risky attitude of boat operators and passengers are one of the causes of accidents on waterways.
Nnadiadded that Total and its partners concluded to run the campaign in order to sensitize boat operators on safety measures to reduceoccurrences of boat mishaps.
“This training, sponsored by NNPC/Total Upstream Nig. Ltd. and its partners, CNOOC, SAPETRO and PETROBRAS, and facilitated by ANPEZ, aims at inculcating in boat operators and passengers good health and safety skills to protect life and property on waterways.”
In a statement, Mrs. Uche Amadi, the Area Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority in Onitsha, address the private sector to assist the government in constructing standard jetties along the Onitsha coastlines.
“This challenge has made it a compelling necessity for the construction of standard landing jetties to serve communities like Ilah, Ose-Ndende Market, Ogbakuba, Ossomala, Asaba, among others.”
She stressed the need for continuous regular training and licensing of boat operators, annual inspection and recertification of river craft permits, to augment safety of voyages on inland waters.
