The Federal Government has distributed 43,000 life jackets to riverine communities in Niger State to prevent drowning incidents and improve safety on the waterways.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, flagged off the distribution on Tuesday at the Niger State Government House in Minna.

Representing the Federal Government, Oyetola said the initiative was a proactive step toward reducing fatalities and promoting safety in Nigeria’s marine environment.

“The FG is deeply committed to the safety, welfare, and protection of every citizen, particularly those living within vulnerable communities and depend on waterways as the means of transportation,” he said.

Oyetola said the initiative was a proactive and tangible demonstration of the commitment of the Federal Government aimed squarely at reducing fatalities and promoting a culture of safety and responsibility across the marine environment.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, represented the state governor, Mohammed Bago, who was on a working visit to Russia

He reassured the Federal Government of effective collaboration with stakeholders in the riverine communities to ensure that the life jackets would be judiciously used.

He noted that the state had, over the years, recorded a high level of boat mishaps which claimed so many lives, but said the state had also invested in refurbished boats and dredging of the rivers.