350 persons died in boat mishaps in 2020 – Nigerian Official

No fewer than 350 lives were lost to boat mishaps in Nigeria in 2020, an official has disclosed.

The disclosure was made in Borgu, Niger State, on Saturday by Joseph Ityav, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC).

He was speaking at Malale in Borgu local government area of Niger State at the flag-off of the cutting of tree logs and removal of huge debris on Kainji and Shiroro Lakes.

He said the project was being executed in partnership with the National Inland Waterways Corporation.

Mr Ityav blamed most of the mishaps on poor conditions of boats, overloading, unavailability of life jackets and the preponderance of tree logs on the waterways.

He said that the cutting of the tree logs and removal of debris would reduce boat mishaps and the hardships faced by riverine communities.

In his remarks, Abubakar Yelwa, Managing Director of HYPPADEC, said the Commission would address ecological and environmental issues and loss of lives which resulted from the construction of the Kainji and Shiroro Dams.

Kainji Dam was constructed on River Niger in 1964 at a cost of 209 million dollars and was inaugurated in 1968.

Shiroro Dam was constructed also on the River Niger, in Kaduna State, South-west of Abuja in 1983.