By Abimbola Abdullahi
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has distributed 500 life jackets to three riverine communities in the state.
Distributing the items in Epe’, LASWA General Manager, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, said that the the exercise was aimed at helping the riverine communities to cultivate the habit of wearing lifejackets for protection of lives.
Emmanuel emphasized that the exercise was also aimed at encouraging operators of water transport to improve safety on Lagos inland waterways.
“Through LASWA, the state government has embarked on a series of policy reforms, programmes and investments to promote and facilitate water transport provision to realize its potential to become an attractive mode of transportation.
“The distribution of life jackets is one of the many programmes that promotes and facilitates water transport,” he said.
Emmanuel said the exercise was vital to the growth of water transportation by reducing fatalities on the waterways.
The general manager urged boat operators to strictly adhere to safety guidelines and ensure no one board their ferries without wearing a standard life jacket.
The beneficiaries of the life jackets included school children and teachers from several riverine communities, market women and commercial boat operators and other invited beneficiaries.
