Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) have expressed their determination to make water transportation safe and viable mode of transportation devoid of any mishaps.
This was contained in a statement by the Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Maj.-Gen Jonathan India Garba (retd.), while commiserating with the families of the victims of the recent marine accidents in Munya local government area of Niger state and Bagudo local government area of Kebbi state that claimed over 100 lives.
Garba, in the statement issued by his aide, Adakole Ejegbudu, in Lokoja yesterday, said NIMASA and NIWA were exploring ways of pooling their knowledge base and other resources to achieve their mandates.
The statement read in part: “We are determined to achieve that mandate with other stakeholders in making water transportation a safe and viable mode; so, we can play our part in fulfilling the dream of President Muhammadu Buhari to fully develop a truly intermodal transport system in the nation.
“I hope to share news of a concrete collaboration strategy between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and other relevant stakeholders soon.
“I wish to use this medium to extend my heartfelt condolences to all those who lost loved ones in these terrible accidents and to the governors of those states concerned.”
Commending the leadership of NIWA for keeping the nation’s waterways navigable and for their vision of making all 10,000 km of the waterways viable, he said “I stand with the leadership of NIWA in this period of mourning and share in their renewed resolve to make marine transportation safer.
“NIMASA believes in the vision of the Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for establishing a truly intermodal transport system and the underlying need for interagency co-operation.
“The governing board of NIMASA has made it clear several times that we are willing to collaborate with various MDAs in improving the efficiency and safety of transportation and for the greater good of the nation.”
