By Gloria Afajagbe
Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) has commiserated with Nigeria over the loss of over 100 citizens to boat mishap while travelling from Niger to Kwara State.
The organisation in a letter of commiseration dated June 15 and addressed to the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Nigeria, described the incident as a huge loss to the maritime family in the West and Central Africa region.
The letter, which was signed by the MOWCA Secretary-General, Dr. Paul Adalikwu, asserted that incidences such as the mishap continued to reaffirm the need for safety as well as search and rescue measures as advocated for inland transportation.
The organisation tasked the relevant agencies of government to upbeat their regulatory roles through advocacy, monitoring, technical training capacities and provision of enhanced modern safety gadgets.
“I present to you compliments of the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) and write to commiserate with Nigeria, NIWA, governments of Niger and Kwara States over the boat mishap that claimed the lives of over 100 citizens traveling from Niger to Kwara State.
“This is indeed a huge loss to the bereaved families, the States; nation and the entire maritime family in the West and Central Africa region. Incidences such as this continues to reaffirm the need for safety as well as search and rescue measure as we advocate for Inland transportation as a cost effective and alternative mode of carriage of goods and persons along coastal communities.
“Most especially, the regulatory roles of relevant agencies of government is further tasked to be upbeat through advocacy, monitoring, technical training capacities and provision of enhanced modem safety gadgets. This also creates a vista for investments in boat acquisition by government and private owners to address issues of overloading which is always occasioned by the dearth of adequacy of such services.
“While praying the peaceful repose of the departed sous and fortitude to the bereaved families, please accept the esteem assurances of my consideration”, MOWCA said in the letter.
