WABOTAN Saddened by Death of 100 Passengers in Kwara Boat Accident

Comrade Babatope Fajemirokun, National President of WABOTAN and Chief Executive Officer of SIMTOP
…Sets to Extend Upcoming Training Program to Kwara State, Others
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria Waters (WABOTAN) has expressed sadness over reports of a boat mishap, which occurred at the Pategi Local Government Area of Kwara State, in which over 100 people lost their lives.
National President of WABOTAN, Comrade Babatope Fajemirokun has subsequently assured that in order to forestall future occurrences like this, the next capacity building and safety training program of the association would be extended to boat operators in Kwara State and across Nigeria.
The WABOTAN Training which gathered momentum last year with a huge stakeholders recognition and acceptance is billed to hold again this year November 2023 in Lagos.
In a press statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer of WABOTAN on Thursday, Chief Raymond Gold Onoriobe, the association said:
“The National President, Comrade Babatope Fajemirokun aka SIMTOP and entire members of Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria Waters (WABOTAN), are deeply saddened by the reports of a boat mishap, which occurred at the Pategi Local Government Area of Kwara State, in which over 100 people lost their lives.
“Our hearts go out to the affected families, the government and good people of Kwara State over this painful incident.
“As stakeholders in the water transport sector in Nigeria, we have been committed to playing our role in the needed efforts to transform the water transport sector and the strict adherence to safety and security measures to forestall such mishaps.
“This has formed part of our core objectives which is, training and retraining of boat captains and deck hands, to build capacity and ensure safety and security on our waterways.
“This training, which we usually do in collaboration and partnership with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, has contributed to Lagos State recording immense improvement on safety on her waterways.
“Our next capacity building and safety training program comes up this November in Lagos and we are making efforts to extend this training to Kwara State and other States across the country where water transportation has been embraced as a means of moving people and goods from one place to another.
“Once again, our heart felt condolences to the affected families”