By Bisola Adeyemo
Cutting of tree logs and removal of debris would reduce boat mishaps and the hardships faced by riverine communities in Nigeria, chairman of the Governing Council of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Joseph Ityav, has said.
Ityav made this known on Saturday, to (NAN) in Borgu, Niger State.
While revealing the number of victims, Joseph lamented that no less than 350 lives have been lost to boat mishaps in Nigeria.
He said most of the mishaps were due to poor conditions of boats and overloading.
He also blamed the unavailability of life jackets and the preponderance of tree logs on the waterways for the mishap.
At the flag-off of tree logs cutting and debris removal on Kainji and Shiroro Lakes, Ityav said the project was being executed in partnership with the National Inland Waterways Corporation.
He, therefore, tasked the government to do the needful by helping the riverine communities in curbing boat mishaps.