Bayelsa State government has taken over the medical bills of victims of last Thursday’s boat mishap at Okoroma community in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
A cargo boat, ‘MV Tari,’ was conveying goods and passengers from Yenagoa to Okpoama in Brass LGA when it capsized in Okoroma River.
Chairman of Maritime Workers Union in Bayelsa State, Ogoniba Ipigansi, told Daily Trust that at the end of the search by divers on Saturday, the total death toll was four.
Reacting to the sad incident on Sunday, Governor Douye Diri directed the commissioner for health to ensure that the state government foots the bill of hospitalised victims.
Diri, while speaking during the Easter Sunday service at the King of Glory Chapel in Government House, Yenagoa, sympathised with families of victims.
He also directed the commissioner to refund whatever the survivors had spent on treatment.
He directed all relevant authorities in the transport sector, especially those in charge of the waterways, to ensure that all safety measures were duly complied with henceforth to avert another accident.
He said his administration would not hesitate to sanction anyone found wanting in the discharge of their duties as the government would no longer allow such avoidable accidents.
