LASWA to launch mobile court on waterways, rescued 58 in six months

As a way to minimise boat mishaps on Lagos waterways, Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, has said the agency will soon launch a mobile court on waterways to checkmate illegal activities among boat users.

The agency also said they have rescued more than 58 passengers from boat mishaps in six months.

LASWA General Manager, Mr Damilola Emmanuel, who disclosed this at his corporate headquarters in Lagos, said, this will be the first of its kind in West Africa.

Emmanuel said, the project which is expected to be inaugurated in the first quarter of 2022 is designed to monitor operational activities within the state waterways and enable the agency to respond swiftly to emergencies, data capturing and record the number of accidents and activities of passenger boats on its waterways.

He said, “LASWA is set to introduce the first Inland Waterways control room to gather data and respond swiftly to emergencies on our waterways. The control room (centre) which will take off in early 2022 will help curb accidents on waterways as the state-of-the-art cameras will be installed within the Ojo, Ikorodu and Island axis,” he said.

The General Manager said the mobile court will curb illegal activities on the waterways as offenders will be prosecuted accordingly.

According to him, although the rate of accidents on waterways had reduced drastically, the agency was working on ways to improve on this. “in the last six months, three accidents occurred with 58 persons rescued and one death recorded.

“With the creation of the mobile court, the state would further reduce the rate of accidents on the waterways by prosecuting regulation defaulters.

Apart from fines imposed on defaulters especially those who commute at illegal hours, he said their boats are confiscated by the agency until they can justify their reasons for travelling at night.

As part of activities to ensure safer waterways before the Yuletide, he said all damaged navigational signs on the waterways will be replaced before the Yuletide.

“We have donated 3,000 life jackets and hope to donate 2,000 more at various jetties,” said Emmanuel.

He said additional 48 water guards have been deployed to the waterways to improve waterways safety and monitoring.