Kano state government has announced a ban on the use of commercial boats in ferrying passengers in Bagwai-Badau River in Bagwai local government of the state.
The order followed the boat mishap on Tuesday, which claimed 29 lives in Badau village of the local government area.
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In a statement, the state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba said in the interim, government has provided two buses for passenger shuttle between Badau and Bagwai, while three new boats would be procured for effective water transportation in the area.
He said other control measures are expected to be instituted when the investigation committee set up by the state government submitted its report for implementation.
Kano says boat mishap unfortunate, constitutes investigation c’ttee
Kano state Executive Council has described as unfortunate the boat mishap that happened on Badau-Bagwai River in Bagwai local government of the state and approved the constitution of a committee to investigate the incident.
The state commissioner for information, Maam Muhammad Garba, who briefed newsmen after an emergency meeting of the council held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano, said the ill-fated incident, which happened on Tuesday, resulted in the death of 29 people among them men, women and children.
He said while seven other victims are responding to treatment at Bichi General Hospital, search for 14 other victims of the tragic boat mishap on the Bagwai-Badau River has intensified.
Malam Garba also announced that the council has approved measures to support the bereaved families of the victims and provided relief materials that included 120 bags each of rice, maize, corn; 60 bags each of sugar and salt as well as a cash support of N6, 000, 000.00 million at N100, 000.00 per head.
The commissioner also announced the council approval for the formation of an immediate investigation committee on the accident and to advise the government on how to avert future occurrence.
The committee is to be chaired by the state Naval Commander, Navy Captain Muhammad Abubakar Alhassan.
The chairman, Policy, Strategy, Implementation, and Evaluation Directorate, Alhaji Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi; commissioners for commerce, transport and housing, Information, religious affairs, representative of the commissioner of works and infrastructure, representatives of the commissioner for local government, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Bichi Emirate, the DSS, police, National Security and Civil Defence Corps, are to serve as members, while a representative from the Cabinet Office will serve as secretary.