Mamora escaped death on Lagos waterways

November 4, 2018, 

THE Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Sen Olorunibe Mamora, last Tuesday escaped death on Lagos inland waterways by whiskers when a floating log of wood hit the boat carrying him and his entourage when he came to inspect the Lagos

facilities of the agency.

According to a staff of the agency who begged not to have his name in print, “It was a close shave with death as the log of wood, which was floating underwater, hit our boat which the MD was also on board.

“The incident occurred shortly, after inspecting the NIWA CMS office facility, Apapa, Ijora, Oyingbo jetties and the boat was heading towards Osborne foreshore to also inspect Texas connection ferries.

“By the time we got to Texas jetty, water was already tricking in into the boat. I was already praying inside because I am still taking my swimming lessons.

“After inspecting Texas connection ferry terminal, the NIWA team then called for a change of boat to continue with the facility tour of other jetties across the State, as water inside the boat was already disturbing,” Our source revealed.

Confirming the near mishap, the Technical Adviser to the NIWA MD, Engr. Emmanuel Ilori said the wreck was an underwater wreck that was under the water.

He said that the present management of the authority is seriously concerned about safety and security in the nation’s inland waterways.

In the words of Ilori: “Safety and security of inland waterways is the priority of the present management of NIWA. it is not the only issue of wrecks removal, but causes of the wreck, and that is what we will be looking at fundamentally. So, to prevent boat mishap on the inland waterways and to be sure that when wrecks are removed they are not dumped into another place where it will become another hazard.”

Ilori who is also the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) said the authority would also survey under the water and place danger signs on the area where there are wrecks.

“What we are looking at is to survey the wrecks. It is not only wrecks that we see on the surface alone because we also have wrecks under the water and these are underwater issues. That is why we say when people remove wrecks,  we want to understand how they will dispose off the wrecks so it won’t cause another hazard elsewhere.

“Don’t forget that the boat the MD was inside going over the wreck, thereby unsettling the boat. The primary thing is to survey the water and identify whatever it is so that we ask boat operators to avoid the area. Wrecks removal is not the immediate solution but to identify where the wrecks are and begin to remove them and know how to dispose.  Also,  identify where the wrecks are and mark them so that people are aware of where the danger lies and avoid it.”

On the entourage of the MD were the Area Manager, Lagos office of NIWA, Muazu Sambo, the one-time acting Managing Director, NIWA, Barr Danladi Ibrahim, Journalists, and several others who joined the MD in the tour of facilities of the authority.

Recall that over the years, there have been calls for the removal of wrecks on the inland waterways which contributes to mishaps on the waterways.

In August 2018, a boat travelling from CMS to Ikorodu had capsized, claiming five lives.

The August event came two months after a May 25 incident in which 24 passengers escaped death when two boats collided and capsized in the Ojo area of the state. The accident occurred at 7:45 pm close to the Ojo Terminal.

Twelve passengers were not as lucky on August 20, 2017. They all died in another boat accident in the Ilashe area of

the state. It was gathered that the boat capsized shortly after leaving an unauthorised jetty.

Similarly, a police sergeant, Mary Adesoba, attached to the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, lost her life on October 10, 2017, after a boat capsized on the Third Mainland Bridge waterways.

The boat was en route to Ebute-Ero from Ikorodu when the mishap happened around 10 am when it hit a submerged object.

The boat that claimed Adesoba, was conveying 21 passengers. Other passengers were rescued by the Marine Police.

Also, on May 25, 2016, a woman died after a commercial boat en route to Victoria Island, Lagos, from Ikorodu ran into a log of wood and capsized. Twenty-seven other passengers on board the speedboat escaped death with varying degrees of injuries.- Nigerian Tribune