By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives Committee on Inland Waterways has said that it will use legislation and oversight activities to address the root causes of boat mishaps in the country.
Chairman of the House Committee Hon.Ojema Ojotu gave the assurance in a remark at the inuagural meeting of the House panel on Wednesday in Abuja
He further stated that the inuagural meeting of the House Committee is to signal the official take off of the Committee in the 10th National Assembly.
He noted that there had been several reports of deaths resulting from boat mishaps in the country and assured that through effective oversight of the relevant agencies of government and adequate legislations, it would be tackled by the committee wholistically.
He also stated that the House Committee is to oversight the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and its parastatals save those under the jusrisdiction of other committees, the Inland Waterways,the National Inland Waterways Authority and the budgets.
Speaking in like manner, Hon.Martins Esin (Akwa-Ibom, PDP) stated that the responsibility placed on the committee is enormous due to the dwindling revenue generation of the NIWA as an agency.
He noted that National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA is a foremost revenue government agency adding that revenue generation should be taken up by the committee in its meeting with the agency.
Also in his contribution, Hon Lanre Oladebo (Osun,PDP) said that the House Committee should work towards ensuring that relevant government agencies enforce the use of live jackets in water transportation.
