We Lost 182 Lives To Boat Accidents-Niger Gov

Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has said the state lost 182 lives to boat accidents in three years.

The governor, represented by his deputy Yakubu Garba, stated this at the 2024 World Maritime Day celebration and distribution of 33 Fiber Glass Boats, at the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (NHYPPADEC) headquarters in Minna on Thursday.

He said: “The huge number of losses we have incurred as a result of boat accidents 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 ( 19 casualties have been recorded.

“No life is worthy more than the other, we should all walk the talk to halt the menace.” Bago praised N-HYPPADEC for its timely intervention, acknowledging that the gesture would alleviate the suffering of riverine communities while reiterating the state government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of inland waterways for year round transport.

The agency’s Managing Director Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa said: “Since inception in 2021, the commission has been consistent in our efforts to improve the lives of the people in our member states.

“One of our primary goals has been to enhance marine transport and mitigate the recurrence of boat accidents, which have plagued these communities for many years.

“The majority of NHYPPADEC communities are riverine, and for these communities, water transportation is not just a means of travel but the backbone of their daily life and commercial activities.