Lawmaker representing Badagry Constitutency 2 at the Lagos House of Assembly, Setonji David, has lamented the drowning of 14 persons.
Setonji blamed the death of at least 10 whose boat capsized enroute Badagry from Kirikiri on Wednesday on the total collapse of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
He noted that the ill-fated journey that has left the other 4 missing was due to the horrible conditions of the road.
“I am devastated by the pictures of the victims of the boat mishap that happened between Lagos and Badagry.
“Our people are looking for alternative means of transportation due to the total collapse and neglect of the Badagry expressway.
“We have made repeated calls for completion of work on this very important access road to Badagry.
“We have suffered greatly and are still suffering. Governance should be about welfare and safety of the people,” Setonji lamented.
A survivor’s account states that the boat captain got distracted trying to collect fares from a passenger and the boat was overturned by the current and most passengers were yet to put on their life jackets properly.
Rescue effort was immediate as the boat was just a few meters from the landing in which they left from but only five people were rescued.
A total of 19 persons were involved in the incident, five were rescued with 10 persons confirmed dead and four still unaccounted for including the boat’s deckhand.
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said that an open boat carrying 19 passengers capsized at about 6.00p.m. while enroute to Badagry on Wednesday.
“LASWA has apprehended the boat captain and has handed him over to the marine police for further investigations and sanctions,” General Manager of LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel had said.
Emmanuel had said that the emergency and regulatory authorities were still on a search and rescue operation, saying that the authority had stepped up its enforcement of rules and regulations on ferry operators.
