The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on boat operators, community leaders, and transport unions to strictly enforce a “No Life Jacket, No Entry” policy on all watercraft, emphasizing that life jackets are essential safety tools—not inconveniences.
The Minister made this known during the Lagos leg of the national campaign titled “Safety on Nigerian Waterways”, a sensitization initiative targeting riverine communities and the distribution of thousands of life jackets across 12 states. Represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mrs. Mercy Ilori, Oyetola highlighted that the campaign had already covered Niger, Bayelsa, Anambra, and Akwa Ibom States.
At the event, over 3,000 life jackets were distributed to boat operators and waterway users in Lagos. The Minister reiterated the campaign’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, anchored on three core pillars: implementation of the Water Transportation Regulations 2023, sustained public sensitization on water safety, and provision of life-saving equipment.
Chief Oyetola commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for ongoing reforms in the water transport sector, and lauded the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for its regulatory oversight and commitment to safety awareness.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, described the initiative as timely and essential in cultivating a lasting safety culture among waterway users.
The campaign underscores the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to safety in riverine communities, where water transport remains a critical daily necessity.