Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has sounded the alarm over the high number of lives lost to boat accidents in the state, with a staggering 182 casualties recorded in the past three years.
The governor, through his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, spoke at the 2024 World Maritime Day celebration and distribution of 33 Fiber Glass Boats, held at the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) headquarters in Minna on Thursday.
Decrying the situation, he noted, “The huge number of loss we have incurred as a result of boat mishaps in the state is unacceptable
“From the available data, the state lost a total of 95 lives in 2022, 68 lives in 2023 and so far this year ( 2024) 19 casualties have been recorded. No life is worthy more than the other, we should all walk the talk to halt the menace.”
Bago also commended N-HYPPADEC for their timely intervention, acknowledging that the gesture will greatly alleviate the suffering of riverine communities while reiterating the state government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of inland waterways for year-round transportation.
Earlier, the Managing director of N- HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, explained that the 2024 World Maritime Day coincided with the commissioning of fibre glass boats to be distributed to riverine communities along the rivers and lakes of hydroelectric dams across N-HYPPADEC member states.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Navigating the Future: Safety First’, he explained that the Commission decided to procure the fibre glass boats to enhance marine transportation and mitigate the recurrence of boat mishaps, which have plagued the communities for many years.
Yelwa also recalled the painful loss of several lives in boat accidents, a development which caused untold hardship in the communities neighboring the Kainji Lake between the vicinity of Shagunu of Borgu Emirate in Niger State and Warrah of Yauri Emirate in Kebbi State.
According to him, “Recognising the dangers posed by water snags, we collaborated with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to carry out a water snags clearing project.
“Together, we removed a considerable number of tree logs from parts of the Kainji and Shiroro Lakes, significantly reducing the likelihood of boat accidents caused by the snags.”
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