Kwara State distributes 2,500 life jackets, enforces water safety policy

The Kwara State Government has distributed 2,500 life jackets to five riverine local government areas (LGAs) and formally commencing strict enforcement of a no life jacket, no entry policy across all its waterways.
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Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, oversaw the distribution event on Monday, November 18, at the Ipata-Jebba Waterfront in Moro LGA.
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The intervention is a direct response to a series of tragic boat mishaps in the state, most notably the June 2023 disaster in Patigi LGA where a boat carrying over 250 wedding guests capsized on the River Niger, resulting in over 100 deaths.
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The life jackets were distributed to the five LGAs whose communities rely heavily on the River Niger and its tributaries for commerce and livelihoods, such as Moro, Kaiama, Patigi, Edu, and Baruten.
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The state declared the safety of residents using water transport as “non-negotiable”. Governor AbdulRazaq stressed that the judicious use of these jackets is vital to prevent recurring boat mishaps.
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The Commissioner for Transportation, Aliyu Sabi, acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu for aiding the state with the life jackets.
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Beneficiaries of government intervention, commended the governor, stressing that the state’s previous donation of fibre speedboats had already contributed to reducing accidents. However, community members called for further synergy with the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPERDEC) to construct concrete embankments to prevent recurrent flooding in the Jebba water region.
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The government stressed that the enforcement of the jacket policy is essential for building a sustainable environment for commerce on the rivers.
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