5 die in Ikorodu boat accident

• 17 rescued. LASG goes tough on guidelines for operators

By Oluwole Farotimi

THE Lagos State Govern­ment yesterday said it has concluded plans to embark on an aggressive campaign and enforcement of guide­lines for commercial boat operators, in a bid to prevent boat mishaps in the state.

The Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mrs Abisola Kamson, in a state­ment said the new drive was in line with the commit­ment of the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to ensure that water trans­portation by all standard, remained the most efficient and cost effective mode of transportation.

“The Lagos State Govern­ment in its drive to promote a multi-modal transport sys­tem, especially the move­ment of passengers, goods and services on its water­ways, will under no circum­stances compromise safety standards and the protection of lives and property. As such we restate our commit­ment to the promotion of all safety measures and ensure that all operators comply with all safety standards in line with global best prac­tices”, she said.

Kamson who spoke on the backdrop of a boat mishap which occurred at the week­end along Oke Ira Nla, Ajah- Bayeku, Ikorodu axis of the state, said LASWA was noti­fied of the incident involving a Bayeku Ferry Association commercial boat carrying 20 passenger and two crew members from Oke Ira Nla, Ajah to Bayeku in Ikorodu.

She said upon receiving the notification, the author­ity’s Water Guards were im­mediately deployed to the scene of the incident to as­sist in rescue efforts.

Kamson said, she later led a delegation of state of­ficials including the Per­manent Secretary, Local Government and Commu­nity Affairs, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, and the Baale of Baiyeku, Chief Saheed Aleje Ajibode to the site of the incident.

The LASWA boss con­firmed that all passengers onboard were wearing life jackets, revealing that 17 of them were rescued alive while five who were earlier rushed to the nearest Gener­al Hospital, died afterwards.

She said preliminary in­vestigation by the authority revealed that aside the me­chanical fault that developed when the steering cable con­nected to the engine propel­ler cut, the captain of the boat was possibly also over-speeding, adding that he is presently being questioned by the Marine Police.