Oyetola Commiserates with Sokoto Boat Tragedy Victims, Appeals States to Phase out Wooden Boats

The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, has commiserated with the victims and families of the recent boat accident in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The Minister described the tragedy as deeply painful and extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Federal Government to all those affected.

The Honourable Minister expressed sadness over the recurring loss of lives on Nigeria’s waterways, stressing that the fatalities are both painful and avoidable.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to prioritising waterways safety, while appealing to State governments to urgently complement these efforts by investing in modern, non-wooden boats for commercial operations in their states.

The Honourable Minister noted that, despite the Ministry’s recent interventions, including the nationwide distribution of 3,500 life jackets to each riverine State, incidents of boat mishaps have persisted largely due to the widespread use of wooden boats.

According to him, the structural weaknesses of wooden boats make them unsafe for modern commercial operations. He further explained that wooden boats cannot withstand the scale of haulage they are now subjected to, especially under conditions of overloading, thereby making them even more prone to accidents.