Kwara boat accident: Life jackets would've held victims alive for 7 hours – HYPPADEC
The Managing Director of Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), AbubakarYelwa, Wednesday, blamed the high fatality recorded in Monday's boat accident in Patigi, Kwara state to the failure of the victims to use life jackets.
Yelwa said the life jackets procured by HYPPADEC last year at the cost of N1.6billion has the capacity to keep victims afloat on water for 7 hours but lamented that they were not used by the victims.
He called on the relevant authorities to legislate a law that will make it mandatory for boat passengers across the country to always wear life jackets.
Yelwa equally advocated a law to restrain boat operators from operating at night.
The HYPPADEC boss spoke in Ilorin, the state capital during the flag off of the inauguration of the 2023 HYPPADEC subsidised fertilisers for 5, 795 farmers in Kwara state.
Represented by the director of community in the agency, Dr Mahmud Umar, Yelwa said:” The fatality recorded in the unfortunate boat mishap in Patigi on Monday, this week was due to failure of the boat passengers to use life jackets.
“If the victims had put on the life jackets, the fatality rate would have been very minimal because a life jacket can keep a victim afloat for at least seven hours and help would have come from villagers within that period.
” I want to call on relevant authorities to legislate a law that will make the use of life jackets compulsory for boat passengers and as well restrain the boat operators from operating at night.If the victims had wore life jackets and the accident occurred in the broad day light, the fatality rate would have been very minimal. “
In his remarks, the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said his administration would redouble efforts at ensuring the dredging of River Niger as a last solution to flooding in the riverine areas in the state.
Represented by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, the governor thanked HYPPADEC for its interest in adequate food production in its catchment area.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Yahaya Dumoye Saliu Shola Taofeek Mansurat Amuda-Kannike Mike Omotosho Funke Adedoyin Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency Isin Abdulrauf Aliyu Maigida Soludero Transit Ayinke Saka Moses Adekanye Laboratory-to-Product Olofa Of Offa Government High School (GHS), Adeta ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited Rashidi Yekini Abdulfatai Salman Baakini Village Alive Development Association Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa Abdulfatai Baakini Ajia-Bako FOMWAN Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi Suraj Tunji Oyewale Babaita Nigeria Computer Society Wahab Olasupo Egbewole Adeola Abraham Mohammed Haruna Chemiroy Nigeria Limited Dumagi Bank Of Industry Tunde Akanbi Towoju Yunus Lawal Nnazua Yashikira Offa Shettima Abdulahi Abubakar Bata Ajike People Support Centre Tosho Yaqub Muhammadu Gobir Amos Justus Sayo National Association Of Nigerian Students Mahee Abdulkadir Aro Yahaya Adegoke Bamidele Wahab Issa Baakini Harafat E. Mukadam Saka Saadu Adanla-Irese Shehu Salau Kwara Polytechnic Ejidongari Kayode Ibrahim JAAC General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Abdulbaqi Jimoh Special Adviser On Digital Innovation Shero Yahaya Jibril Usman CLAY POT Femi Ogunsola Kwara Restoration Project Kazeem Adekanye Titus Suberu-Ajibola Kale Ayo Taofeek Ibraheem International Aviation College Gurei Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat Ibikunle Ogunleye Kwara State Governor Ayegbeni Saidu Isa