The Managing Director of Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), AbubakarYelwa, Wednesday, blamed the high fatality recorded in Monday’s boat accident in Patigi, Kwara state to the failure of the victims to use life jackets.

Yelwa said the life jackets procured by HYPPADEC last year at the cost of N1.6billion has the capacity to keep victims afloat on water for 7 hours but lamented that they were not used by the victims.

He called on the relevant authorities to legislate a law that will make it mandatory for boat passengers across the country to always wear life jackets.

Yelwa equally advocated a law to restrain boat operators from operating at night.

The HYPPADEC boss spoke in Ilorin, the state capital during the flag off of the inauguration of the 2023 HYPPADEC subsidised fertilisers for 5, 795 farmers in Kwara state.

Represented by the director of community in the agency, Dr Mahmud Umar, Yelwa said:” The fatality recorded in the unfortunate boat mishap in Patigi on Monday, this week was due to failure of the boat passengers to use life jackets.

“If the victims had put on the life jackets, the fatality rate would have been very minimal because a life jacket can keep a victim afloat for at least seven hours and help would have come from villagers within that period.

” I want to call on relevant authorities to legislate a law that will make the use of life jackets compulsory for boat passengers and as well restrain the boat operators from operating at night.If the victims had wore life jackets and the accident occurred in the broad day light, the fatality rate would have been very minimal. “

In his remarks, the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said his administration would redouble efforts at ensuring the dredging of River Niger as a last solution to flooding in the riverine areas in the state.

Represented by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, the governor thanked HYPPADEC for its interest in adequate food production in its catchment area.