Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — As the Federal Government expands its inland waterway safety campaign with the delivery of life jackets to Kwara State, concerns have emerged over the exclusion of Rivers and Bayelsa States, Nigeria’s most prominent riverine and maritime regions, from the initiative.
The consignment, delivered yesterday to Kwara, was part of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy’s ongoing national programme aimed at curbing fatalities caused by frequent boat accidents across Nigeria’s waterways.
“Kwara is a crucial beneficiary. We recognize the heavy reliance of communities like Patigi, Edu, and Kaiama on water transportation along the River Niger and its tributaries,” said Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, in a statement delivered by Dr. Mercy Ilori, Director of Maritime Services.
However, the decision to prioritize Kwara over other equally, if not more, vulnerable states such as Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta has raised questions about equity in the federal intervention, especially in regions where water transport is not just essential but dominant.
Stakeholders in Rivers State expressed disappointment over the omission.
“It is troubling that a coastal state like Rivers, with daily passenger and cargo movement across waterways, is yet to benefit from this life-saving initiative,” said Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria.
The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, had emphasized that the initiative is part of a multi-pronged strategy, which includes enforcing the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations 2023, public safety campaigns, and distribution of life jackets to reduce preventable deaths.
Oyetola called on boat operators to enforce the “No Life Jacket, No Entry” rule nationwide, saying safety must be non-negotiable.
But Dr. Fyneface who is also a marine security expert, lamented that despite regular reports of boat mishaps in the Niger Delta, particularly in Rivers State, there has been little federal presence in terms of safety support or equipment.
He said, “If the goal is truly to ensure that no community is left behind, then leaving out river-dependent states like Rivers and Bayelsa contradicts that mission. Rivers State and the entire coastal Niger Delta states should be given priority in the distribution of life jackets, because that’s where Nigeria derives her national revenue from.”
While the Kwara State Government, represented by Secretary to the Government Prof. Mamman Saba Jibril, commended the Federal Government and pledged proper use of the donated life jackets, stakeholders in the South-South are urging the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to extend similar interventions to coastal states where waterway safety remains a daily concern.
As Nigeria continues to rely more on inland and coastal waterways for trade and transportation, many are calling for a more inclusive rollout of safety infrastructure to prevent further tragedies across the country.
