The Emir of Patigi in Kwara State, Umar Ibrahim Bologi II, has lamented the misuse of life jackets distributed to boat owners to prevent accidents on the state’s waterways.
He disclosed this during a visit by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), led by the Area Manager for Niger and Kwara states, Mr Akapo Adeboye, to his palace.
Alhaji Umar said that instead of using the life jackets to protect passengers and themselves, boat owners have abandoned them, allowing motorcycle riders and farmers to use them for purposes unrelated to their fields.
He complained that motorcycle riders and farmers now used the life jackets as a kind of uniform to work.
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He disclosed that the state government, in its effort to ensure safe water transportation, bought 17 fibre boats and distributed about 1,000 life jackets.
The Emir urged his people to create awareness about the importance of wearing life jackets while travelling on waterways to reduce frequent boat accidents in the area following the death of at least 106 people, mostly from Patigi communities, in a boat accident.
NIWA’s Area Manager, Mr Adeboye, said the visit was to inaugurate river marshals and unveil the water transportation code.
He solicited the emir’s support to ensure boat owners and passengers obeyed the waterways code, especially the use of life jackets.
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