Friends of Dr Dakuku Peterside, Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), have donated free safety life-vests to jetties in Rivers.
Victoria Nyeche, leader of the group, informed the Maritime Workers Union (MWU) in Port Harcourt that the gesture was in response to a recent boat mishap which claimed a life.
She said that NIMASA director-general was deeply touched by recent accidents on the waterways and decided to intervene in order to put a stop to such ugly occurrences.
“This project is a novel idea targeted at providing free life-vests to all the jetties in the state to have safe journeys on the waterways,’’ she said.
The distribution of the safety vests kicked-off at the Abonnemma Wharf Jetty.
Brand new life-vests were donated to Ke, Cawthorne Channel and Bakana Units of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria at the jetty.
Mr Prince Jumbo, Rivers Chairman, Maritime Workers Union, thanked Peterside and his friends for the show of care.
Jumbo alleged that the maritime workers have been abandoned by the Rivers Government in the face of daunting challenges.
He called on the government to come up with clear policies to address the challenges faced by the riverine people in the state.
Mr Abi Eli, Chairman of Ke MWU unit, also commended the NIMASA director-general for the donation and promised to use the vests judiciously.
At least nine persons were reportedly feared dead following a boat mishap on July 28, at the Abonema Wharf Bakana Creek, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers. (NAN)