Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
Deputy Senate Leader, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah, representing Kebbi South senatorial district in the National Assembly, has donated passenger’s boats and ambulance boats to the riverine communities within his constituency to avert frequent boat mishaps.
The affected communities included Yauri, Shanga and Ngaski local government areas of Kebbi State. They received two Ambulance boats and a 20-sitter passenger boats respectively.
While presenting the boats to representatives of the communities, at the Yauri river bank, at the weekend, Sen. Na’ Allah said the items were donated to ease risks passengers often passed through while travelling on the water and to serve as an emergency medical aide to them in case of any mishap.
Said he, “The boats are to serve as a transport means for passengers and patients including pregnant women and children of riverine communities across Yauri Emirate in Kebbi South and neighbouring communities of Niger State.”
Represented by Jabir Abubakar, the senator said 60 live jackets were already provided for the use of passengers in case of boat mishaps that could occur in future.
While felicitating with the people of the zone on Eid-el-Fitr, the senator called on the riverine communities to ensure proper care and use of the boats and live jackets.
In his reaction, Aliyu Gado, the Secretary of Yauri Emirate Council, noted thatvsince 1999, they have never had a legislator that brought such transportation means to the people of the area.
“Not only ambulance and passenger boats, Sen. Na’Allah has also renovated and equipped all eight General hospitals across the seven local government areas that made up his constituency he has provided portable water, built schools , town hall, provided a bus, ambulances, international fish market as well jetties across four riverine communities in Yauri emirate.
“We are, however , appealing for provision of additional water reticulation units to cover areas that are still suffering from acute shortage of portable water as well as provide more safer water transport for our people,” the emirate secretary added.