Kogi state government has been urged by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Ganaja Unit, Kogi State, to supply life jackets for travellers on waterways.
During an interview at his office in Ganaja, Lokoja, the unit chairman, MrIshiaka Aliyu Musa, pleaded with the authorities.
He said that the request was triggered by previous boat catastrophes in the state’s waterways, recalling the November 28, 2024, tragedy in which over 20 people lost their lives.
Musa claims that while survivors wore life jackets, the majority of the incident’s victims did not. He explained the problem by saying that many passengers cannot afford the expensive cost of life jackets, which vary from N10,000 to N20,000.
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“The major challenge is that most people who travel on the waterways cannot afford the cost of a life jacket. You know it is the primary responsibility of every passenger to provide a life jacket as personal property and wear it anytime they want to board a boat. Unfortunately, many cannot afford that cost,” he said.
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Musa appealed to Governor Usman Ododo lawmakers, and local government officials to consider bulk purchases of life jackets for free distribution, particularly to market women and youths who frequently use the waterways. He also called on humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross and corporate entities to support the initiative as part of their corporate social responsibility.
“This is a humanitarian call for the protection of our people. We also expect corporate individuals and organisations to take the issue of life jackets seriously and donate towards it,” Musa added.
Although it is not their primary responsibility, he applauded the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for its continuous life jacket donations. He promised that the union would work with NIWA to ensure that all passengers on the canals wore life jackets if there was a sufficient supply available.
