At the instance of the Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, officials from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and Anambra West Local Government have visited Mr. Sunday Nnalue family of Mmiata Anam, Anambra West Local Government Area, to condole with the family on the death of their sons who were involved in boat accident on Thursday, 4th January 2024.
The victims, Onyeka, aged twelve, Israel, aged ten and their mother, Gloria, who was rescued from the boat accident, were returning from holiday when the Kogi-Anambra bound wooden boat they were traveling in rammed into a snag on the water channel and capsized at the Mmiata banks of the River Niger.
Though earlier reports indicate that few people died while more people were rescued, eyewitness accounts at the Nnalue’s family said the opposite, raising questions about the actual death figure in the incident.
Addressing the bereaved Nnalue family, the Southeast Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mrs Ngozi Echeazu, who spoke through Mr. Nnanyelugo Ezeani said the visit was to ascertain the extent of loss suffered, assuring that stakeholders meeting will be convened to discuss concerns raised and find solutions, including ensuring enforcement of wearing of life-saving jacket while traveling through the water.
He expressed hope that concerns shown by government at federal, state and local level will go a long way in giving the bereaved family the needed courage to put the incident behind and move on with life.
Contributing, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Chief Paul Odenigbo, who thanked God for sparing the life of a member of the Nnalue’s family, said government will be properly briefed for possible assistance, just as proper investigations will continue to help in forestalling future occurrence.
On his part, the Transition Committee Chairman of Anambra West Local Government Area, Mr. Felix Ikechi, who also remarked that the joint visit was for commiseration and to get firsthand information from a victim and those affected by the unfortunate incident, advised that going forward, nobody travels through the water ways without wearing life-saving jacket, a measure he said will be made a policy, adding that there is need to regulate and monitor activities of those traveling and conveying people and goods through the water ways.
He later gave financial support to the family.
Father of the deceased, Mr. Sunday Nnalue, who narrated how he was summoned via phone calls to the accident where he found his wife alive and two children dead, thanked government for the concerns towards him and his family at the difficult moment.
Earlier, some family members, relatives and sympathizers who joined in receiving the delegation, including Chief Matthias Ameke and Mr. Jude Emeka, said by the visit, Governor Soludo has shown he is leading a government with human face.
They however called for attention to the waterways, just as it is done to the road, as well as provision of healthcare services along riverine areas.
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