The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed life jackets and other relief materials to families affected by the Gorau boat accident in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The public relations officer (PRO) of NEMA Sokoto operations office, Dahiru Kure, made this known to journalists on Sunday in Sokoto.

Mr Kure said the agency conducted a direct distribution of humanitarian relief assistance to families affected by the recent boat accident in Gorau Village.

He said the intervention was part of the federal government’s response to the incident, adding that life jackets were distributed to residents of Gorau to enhance the safety of boat operators and passengers crossing the river.

According to him, the head of NEMA Sokoto operations office, Tukur Abubakar, represented the director-general of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, at the distribution ceremony.

He explained that the intervention was the federal government’s way of identifying with the affected families and cushioning the impact of the unfortunate incident on them.

He further said many of the affected persons, mostly youths, were involved in the accident while crossing the river to their farms.

He stressed that the intervention demonstrated the federal government’s concern for their plight and commitment to supporting communities affected by disasters.

Mr Kure added that the director-general emphasised the importance of ensuring that boat operators and passengers adhered to safety measures, particularly the use of life jackets, to prevent loss of lives during river crossings.

He said the Gorau village head, Aliyu Magaji, who was himself a survivor of the boat accident, expressed appreciation on behalf of the affected persons and the entire Gorau community to the federal government for the support.

Mr Kure said the relief items distributed comprised rice, beans, spaghetti, salt and tomato paste, while the non-food items comprised clothes for adults and children, detergents, sleeping materials and mosquito nets, among others.

The PRO explained that the village head subsequently called on the Sarkin Ruwa, the leader of the boat operators, to monitor the proper and consistent use of life jackets by boat operators and passengers.

No fewer than 65 persons drowned when a boat carrying 85 passengers to a rice farm capsized on August 20. 

(NAN)