Kogi state government has officially launched 25 life jackets and five-seater fibre fly boats to enhance marine transportation across the state.
The State Commissioner for Transportation Development, Hon. Atuluku Victor Levi, who performed the official launch on behalf of the state government, reiterated its readiness to continue its partnership with the Federal Government and core stakeholders to boost marine transportation, as it enhances affordability, comfort, and the safety of lives and property of citizens.
According to him, two boats will serve the Lokoja/Ganaja/Shitaku-Pata-Budon-Kotokerfi waterways axis, while one boat will serve Bagana in Omala Local Government Area, and the Idah/Ibaji axis also received one boat to serve transporters.
He applauded the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for empowering agencies under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Niger Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) in discharging their mandates geared towards securing lives, facilitating easy waterways transportation, and ensuring cost-effectiveness.
He also lauded the Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, for his administration’s giant strides in executing viable policies and programmes targeted at enhancing good governance and reducing the hardship faced by the masses in their daily pursuits, asserting that the launch of these boats attests to the government’s collaboration with the Federal Government.
The Commissioner urged the handlers of the Federal and Kogi State Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria to guard against any act that could sabotage the good intentions of the government, saying that safety enforcement measures would be put in place to ensure a peaceful and efficient marine transportation system in the state.
