Two years after the Lagos State Waterway Authority warned all commercial boats, canoes and ferry operators and passengers to comply with the use of life jacket on waterways in the metropolis; investigation by PUNCH METRO has revealed that the level of compliance is still very low.
In April 2011, LASWA renewed its threat to deal with violators of this order when the immediate past chairman of Epe Local Government Area of the state, Chief Mufutau Rufai, and a teacher identified simply as Baruwa died in a boat mishap on April 2, 2011 on their way from Oriba to Ikorodu. None of the nine passengers in the boat had a life jacket.
But our correspondents, who went to some jetties in Ketu; Ikorodu; CMS; Apapa; Falomo; Ipakodo and Oworonsoki reported that the order had not been complied with.
In jetties where there is level of compliance, PUNCH METRO findings revealed that the life jackets being used were substandard.
In Agboyi jetty, located in Ketu Local Council Development Area, some of the passengers said they had no reason to use life jacket because they were used to travelling on the waterway without the safety device.
A passenger, Sola Febisade, told one of our correspondents that although she had heard about boat mishaps; she was yet to witness one.
“I don’t think anything would happen here by the grace of God. Most of the residents of this area know how to swim. Even if anything happens, they would quickly come to our aid. There are some rituals that are done every year to ensure passengers are safe on this river,” she said.
Another passenger, Sunday Odunlami, said the cost implication of providing life jackets for passengers could tell on the income of the operators.
“These people collect between N30 and N50 for these trips across the river, do you think they would waste the money they collect on providing life jackets?” he said.
A ferryman, Saliu Ibrahim, said he had no cause to worry about life jackets because “God watches over us all. I was born into the job of ferrying people across this river. We have been safe ever since.”
The same situation was noticed when one of our correspondents visited a jetty in Oworonsoki area of Lagos, where boats load goods and passengers.
But at the ferry service at CMS on Lagos Island, operating between Lagos and Apapa, the level of compliance was high as all the passengers on board a ferry had life jackets.
A passenger, Mr. Chidozie Okoro, who spoke with PUNCH METRO, said he preferred the ferry to driving to his office.
“I don’t have to worry about traffic congestion and it is relatively safe. I use the word ‘relatively’ because nothing is absolutely safe. At least, we all have life jackets. Apart from that, I know how to swim in case anything happens,” he said.
Another passenger on the ferry, Mr. Alex Nwegu, a marine engineer, had something different to say.
“These life-jackets are just for show. I have been a marine engineer for 20 years and I know a good life jacket when I see one. These ones we are given are substandard,” he said.
Asked if he was not bothered by that, he said, “I know what to do if anything happens. I’ve had training in that area. I just don’t want you to deceive yourself by thinking these life jackets would keep anybody safe if anything happens. Government should see to this issue as soon as possible. These are not the same quality as the life jackets in other countries.”
A retired beach patrolman at CMS jetties, Mr. Ade Ajayi, said some of the ferries plying the route were being operated by private companies in collaboration with the state government.
“The safety measures put in place now are far better than what it used to be. At least I worked here for more than two decades. It used to be worse than this. Passengers then did not use life jackets, but it’s mandatory now,” he said, adding that any mishap had not been recorded on the waterways for a long time.
However, in another part of CMS, where less sophisticated ferries transport mostly goods between Lagos Island and Takwa Bay Island, passengers were seen wearing substandard life jackets.
A ferryman, Charles Uzuzu, who agreed to speak with one of our correspondents, under condition that pictures of his ferry would not be taken, said the life jackets used by operators in the area were locally-made.
“I have been doing this job for eight years; we have never experienced a mishap. God forbids, if something like that happens, I hope our life jackets would keep people afloat,” he said.
Asked how effective the locally-made life jackets were, he said they had not been tested.
PUNCH METRO also observed that in some ferries where the life jackets were used; most passengers do not fasten up the safety device. A passenger, who declined to give his name, said he did not know how to use the jacket.
An enforcement officer of the LASWA at CMS jetty, Mr. Jimoh Mukaila, who described the act as reckless, said there was of no use putting on a life jacket without fastening it properly.
“Putting on a life jacket without fastening it is a half safety measure and it is in itself useless. In the event of a mishap, the life jacket could pull off and that can lead to the death of the passenger,” he added.
A commuter on the route, Ayo Eludani, said the awareness on the use of life jackets by local boat operators was still very low in riverine areas. He advised the state government and other relevant agencies to increase public awareness on the importance and use of life jackets.
A boat operator in Oworonshoki told one of our correspondents under condition of anonymity that he was aware of the usefulness of the life jacket but he could not afford the cost, which he put between N3, 000 and N4, 000.
“How many people will I get it for? For a trip I only get between N20 and N30 from each passenger,” he explained.
In his reaction, the Managing Director of the LASWA, Mr. Yinka Marinho, said it was wrong for operators and passengers to ignore the order, adding that violators would be brought to book.
Marinho said, “As you all know, the slogan of the agency is ‘travel water, travel save.’ Our objective is therefore geared towards safety and that is why we will not relent in our continued campaigns on radio and television on this issue of commuters and ferry operators putting on life jackets.”
He further explained that the agency enforced the directive through the Water Guard Corps and the anti-terrorist squad, which had since been seconded to LASWA for the purpose of enforcement.
On the absence of LASWA officials in some riverine areas of the state, the LASWA boss explained that the agency’s operations were limited to motorised vessels on the Lagoons only.
However, Marinho was quick to add that the agency’s operations would cover non-Lagoon water bodies too if the vessels in question were used in carrying passengers.
He said, “Our awareness campaign is still on but you will agree with me that campaigns cannot be done all year round because of so many constraints. I can assure the public that our campaigns will reach all parts of the state that is surrounded by water, which is about one-third of Lagos State.
‘’We have been having problems with the enforcement of this directive on life jackets, which is of course, similar to those experienced by the officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority during the enforcement of seatbelts and helmets by bus drivers and motorcycle riders respectively in the state.’’
Marinho further appealed to the public to comply with the directive of using life jackets while travelling on waterways.
“If you put on a life jacket, if there is a mishap, there would not be a problem for you because you would only drift along the water current before rescue mission is effected,” he added.
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