Sokoto Boat Tragedy: PC-NCG urges Senate to pass Coast Guard Bill

Sokoto Boat Tragedy: PC-NCG urges Senate to pass Coast Guard BillThe Provisional Committee of the Proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG) has urged the National Assembly to expedite passage of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill.The committee made the call while commiserating with families of victims of the Gorau boat mishap in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.The accident occurred on Thursday, Aug. 20, while the boat was reportedly conveying farmers to rice fields.According to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), more than 50 people, mostly children aged between 10 and 15, died in the accident.About 40 bodies have reportedly been recovered, while search and rescue operations are continuing.In a statement issued on Sunday, the PC-NCG described the incident as a national emergency requiring urgent action.The statement was signed by its Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, on behalf of its Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Noah Ichaba.The committee said recurring boat accidents highlighted the need for stronger institutional capacity for maritime safety, enforcement and search and rescue.It said Nigeria’s inland waterways and coastline support millions of Nigerians engaged in fishing, farming, trade and transportation.The committee noted that the country lacked a dedicated agency with comprehensive responsibility for maritime safety enforcement and rapid search and rescue operations.It said the proposed Coast Guard would complement existing agencies by strengthening safety enforcement across inland waterways and coastal areas.According to the committee, the bill seeks to provide a professional service responsible for vessel safety standards, passenger limits, life-jacket compliance and waterway patrols.It said the proposed agency would also support rapid search and rescue operations and improve coordination among relevant maritime and emergency agencies.The PC-NCG said the Coast Guard would collaborate with the NIWA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), NEMA and the Nigerian Navy.It urged the Senate to expedite the third reading and passage of the bill currently before it.The committee also appealed to the National Assembly to treat the legislation as a matter of national security, public safety and human rights.It further called for adequate funding to ensure immediate operationalisation of the proposed service after presidential assent.“The children of Gorau did not have to die. Policy delay is costing lives,” Ichaba said.He said the Sokoto tragedy should serve as a catalyst for decisive action to strengthen safety on Nigeria’s waterways.The committee urged the Senate to consider the substance and institutional needs addressed by the proposed legislation.It said opposition to the Coast Guard proposal should not replace evidence-based consideration of Nigeria’s maritime security and safety challenges.“If the evidence shows Nigeria does not need a Coast Guard, let the evidence prevail,” the committee said.“However, if the evidence shows a genuine institutional need, resistance must not become a substitute for national policy.”The committee maintained that protecting lives and livelihoods remained essential to developing Nigeria’s blue economy.“No Blue Economy without Blue Security and Blue Justice,” it said, urging stakeholders to prioritise safe waterways nationwide.