Why wooden boats flourish along Nigerian waterways

Most accidents that have claimed lives along the Nigerian inland waterways have been caused by the usage of wooden by boat operators. In this report, TOLA ADENUBI looks at why many operators still use wooden boats to ferry passengers across the nation’s inland waterways.

The use of wooden boats by operators to ferry passengers across the inland waterways has had devastating effects in recent times, It has caused the loss of lives and properties majorly in Niger, Kwara, Kogi and Kebbi States.

These accidents mostly occurred when wooden boats collided with floating objects or tree shrubs along the waterways routes to many riverine communities, leaving human and material losses most often.

While the world is fast moving towards fibre and aluminium-made boats for waterways transportation, due to its durability and reliability in turbulent tides, many boat operators in Nigeria have continued to rely on wooden boats, a situation that has ensured that accidents persists on the nations inland waterways despite all efforts by government to salvage the situation.

WHY WOODEN BOATS

Checks by the Nigerian Tribune has revealed that the preference for Wooden boats by many Nigerian boat operators is due to the cheap cost of assembling such type of boats when compared to Aluminium and Fibre boats.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the National Publicity Secretary of the Waterfront Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (WABOTAN), Mr. Raymond Gold explained that with N1million Naira, a boat operator can get a Wooden boat ready for business.

According to Gold, “The waterways transportation sector is an industry that is capital intensive. When we are talking about building boats, getting the Outboard engines, maintaining and servicing the boats, all these runs into millions of Naira. So, it’s a hugely capital-intensive industry.

“The waterways transportation Industry is a sector that will stimulate growth if government gives it the desired attention that it deserves, but as we speak, the sector has been left in the hands of private boat operators in most States. It is only Lagos State that has deemed it fit to invest in waterways transportation. In other states, private boat operators are calling the shots when it comes to waterways transportation.

“This is a major reason why wooden boats are flourishing on the Nigerian waterways. In saner climes, Wooden boats are mostly used for regatta festivals and cultural activities. They are not supposed to be used for commercial waterways transportation purposes. But here in Nigeria, due to the cheap cost of assembling Wooden boats, most small-scale ferry operators use them for waterways transportation business.

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“The fibre Boats are very expensive, outright not within the reach of many of the small-scale operators. To build a wooden boat, an operator needs between N1million and N1.5 million, depending on the quality of wood used. Talking about Fibre Boat, which is always bigger than Wooden boats, an operator will be looking at between N3.5 million upward. There are fibre boats of N30 million and N50 million, depending on the engine that is powering them.

“The Omi-Bus that was recently launched by the Lagos State government are fibre boats. Each Omi-Bus can accommodate 40 passengers at a ride and the engines on each of them is 250-Horse/power. Each of those boats cost N200 million. The engines alone on those boats is around N70 million each.

“This is how expensive the Fibre boats can be, not to talk of the aluminum boats. So, tell me, how many of the small-scale operators can afford these boats? This is why we have more wooden boats on the nation’s inland waterways than fibre boats.

“No matter how strong a wooden boat is when produced, with time, it ages and gets weaker because it is moving on water. This is why wooden boats easily starts taking in water anytime they collide with a Tree shrub or a floating object in the middle of nowhere on the waterways.

“It’s a major reason why many deaths have been recorded along the Nigerian waterways, most especially in the northern parts of the country.”

Backing the call by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola that state governments urgently complement federal efforts by investing in modern, non-wooden boats for commercial operations in their states, Gold who also doubles as a member of the Sustainable Waterways Awareness Advancement Advocacy Organisation (SWAAADO) explained that without government backing, waterways transportation cannot grow in Nigeria.

“We have been telling government at the level of SWAAADO that they need to invest in waterways transportation because it will add to their GDP, aside enhancing lives and properties.

“Look at what the Lagos State government has done. They intend to deliver about 25 of the Omi-Bus and have already delivered 15 of the boats and handed the boats over to operators. As we speak, private operators are running those Omi-Bus. This is serious government Intervention in waterways transportation business.

“If operators see more support from State government in terms of acquisition of Fibre boats, the prevalence of wooden boats and incessant mishaps on the nations inland waterways will reduce drastically.

“Calling for state governments to ban wooden boats without providing alternative boats for riverine communities in Niger or Kwara State will create problems for mass-movement of residents of these communities.

“Many residents of these riverine communities move on the waterways to have access to markets, and depend on these small-scale operators who cannot afford Fibre boats to provide platforms for transportation to and fro these markets. That’s why most times on these ill-fated boats are Cattles, farm produce and others. It is either they are going to market or returning from market.

“That tells you the importance of moving on the waterways for these riverine communities and it is high time the State government of these communities invests in Fibre boats to ensure needless loss of lives and properties,” he said.