Kogi government launches fly boats, life jackets to boost water transportation

The Kogi State government has launched 25 life jackets and five-seater fibre fly boats to enhance water transportation across the state.

Atuluku Victor Levi, commissioner for Transportation Development, Kogi State, 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.

“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 explained.

He commended the federal government 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 commended the giant strides of Ahmed Ododo, governor of Kogi State, 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 attests to the government’s collaboration with the federal government.

Levi 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.