The Lagos
State Government yesterday confirmed the death of 12 persons in the boat
mishap which occurred at the weekend in Ilashe area of the State.
In a statement issued by the Managing
Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Engr Abisola
Kamson, the State Government attributed the unfortunate mishap to
overloading of passengers on a Banana Boat and operation of illegal
jetty.
Kamson said four victims of the mishap,
who were rescued were receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, while
search and rescue operation was still on-going.
While commiserating with the families of
those who lost their loved ones, the State Government said the mishap
had, again, brought to the fore the need for the National Inland
Waterways Authority (NIWA) to respect the recent verdict of the Court of
Appeal, which upheld the powers of the State Government to control its
intra-inland waterways.
Going into details of the mishap, Kamson
said: “An unfortunate incident occurred at Ilashe today Sunday
(yesterday) arising from overloading of passengers on a Banana boat
taking off from an illegal Jetty which has become a perennial issue of
the Lagos State Government to rid our Waterfront areas of illegal
operators.
“We sympathise with the families of the
deceased as 12 lives were lost in the mishap and four people receiving
treatment in the hospital.
“The LASWA rescue team has been on
ground, and search is still on-going. This brings to fore, again, the
need for NIWA to allow the judgement of the Appeal Court, granting Lagos
control of her waterways, to take effect without hindrance.
“It is a matter for regret that ever
since the judgement was pronounced, NIWA has ejected all State Water
Guards monitoring standards from all federal owned Jetties. In spite of
this, the Government of Lagos State aligns to the safety of citizens on
the waterways. All Lagosians are enjoined to wear standard life jackets
at all times on our Waterways,” Kamson said.
Besides, the LASWA boss urged boat
operators and other stakeholders in the inland waterways sector to
adhere strictly to safety standards at all times.