The President of the Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society, Prof. Gbenga Okunlola, has decried recurring boat accidents in Lagos State, saying good governance and adherence to safety nets are solutions to the menace.

He spoke on Sunday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during a media conference on the 52nd Annual International Conference and Exhibitions of the society. The NMGS boss said rising incidents of boat accidents in Lagos were worrisome.

He said, "We need to ask certain questions. First, what is the condition of these boats? What is the condition of the waterways? Are the waterways clean enough? We have debris all over the place. The last accident that took place in Lagos before the Saturday accident was a result of a collision with debris. Some people piled sand in the water and the boat hit it.

"So, we need to get our infrastructure right. Lagos should be a big hub for intra water transport that can solve the problem of gridlock confronting the state because it has a lot of waterways. There should be good channels and the waterways should be clean of debris.

"Secondly, some of those people who operate the boats, are they properly trained? Are they properly licensed? Some of the engines for the boats are not in good condition; so when they get to the middle of the waterway, they become problems." A wooden boat had capsized on Saturday at Grinadi Port, close to Tincan Bridge, by Coconut bus stop, Apapa.

Spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, South-West zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, had confirmed that all the 15 persons on board were rescued alive. Okunlola said government must ensure that boat operators were well trained, adding that all safety measures must be adhered to.

He appealed that the government should always see to it that the waterways were not blocked. While urging the government to regulate the operation of marine transportation, he stated that geologists had major roles in reducing and preventing water accidents.