The Malele, Niger state boat mishap in which about 76 persons died and still counting, has been described as a national tragedy and embrassment by Mr Gani Tarzan Balogun President, Association of Tourist Boat Operators and water Transporters of Nigeria (Atbowaton).
Mr Balogun who decried the very poor response and attention to the national tragedy by both Federal and state governments, noted that the recent mishap was not the first on that water route, adding no serious attention has been paid to dredge and remove wreck from the Malele-Kebbi Waterways.
"I can't understand it, the usual blame game against water transporters and boat operators. The stereotype and the often rush to call boat operators names without due investigation to find out if overloading and sundry operational failings is behind the accident. Someone needs to come out to tell us what government has done?" A visibly angry Atbowaton president noted.
Mr Balogun reiterated that the association in furtherance of its mission to national spread and responsibilities, had in the past responded to accidents across the national waterways, including the Niger state branch, organised training and retraining of Atbowaton members, donation of life jackets and also sought the support of the traditional institutions to help drive home the need for obedience and observance to extant safety regulations on the Waterways by both the Operators and water users.
"The truth is that Atbowaton cannot singlehandly keep the Waterways safe and also create enabling operational environment. It is not all accidents on Water that are attributeable to overloading and non wearing of life jackets, there are system failures on Waterways such as mapping, dredging and wreck removals. Those are the major issues across the waterways in those areas and until both the states and Federal government, appreciate the fact that the River Niger from Malele down to Kebbi and further ahead needs serious attention as a channel of huge economic activities, then more of what happened, may still reoccur.
"I am so unhappy and disappointed even with the way, Nigerians kept low profile on this national tragedy, maybe because those who lost their lives are poor farmers and merchants, maybe because we as a nation have not come to reality that waterways transportation is the safest means of moving persons and goods, maybe because it not an aviation accident which resonates with the rich and the mighty, maybe if one rich man had died in that accident, all the roads and outpouring of support would have been provided and a national condolence register, opened, I can't understand" Mr Balogun explained.
On Atbowaton's plan to visit the grieving families of those who died in the avoidable accident, Mr Balogun said a special team of Atbowaton investigators have been dispatched to Malele to work with Atbowaton's leadership in that area, while the national leadership is planning to visit the Emir of Borgu who is the national patron of Atbowaton and afterwards visit the Niger state governor, Alhaji Sani Bello, to not only register the association's sympathy but to find ways to mitigate accidents on Niger state Waterways and for an urgent need to construct a world class Jetty at Malele.
Pix: BBC
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