The sub-prefect of Ebounou, Farihidjé Mohamed Coulibaly, has asked the village chiefs to keep the 162 life jackets received in this area of Grand-Lahou available to all residents. This directive was issued during a meeting whose details were made public on Monday, October 12.
The administrative official reminded that this equipment is neither personal property nor family belongings. He asked the village leaders to lend them to anyone required to make a crossing on the waters of the sub-prefecture.
The batch includes 12 vests provided by the Grand-Lahou Maritime Affairs District and 150 others donated by a business operator. The recipients are responsible for their preservation and maintenance.
The sub-prefecture of Ebounou comprises 14 villages, including seven island localities. The inhabitants regularly use waterways to reach their fields, making the wearing of life jackets a key method of preventing navigation accidents.
In Badadon, the village chief Beugré Ambroise stated that the equipment is kept at the chieftaincy and then lent to residents according to their needs. Lieutenant Brou Jean, representing maritime affairs, in turn asked the beneficiaries to ensure their proper condition.
Maritime services monitor the port of this equipment day and night on the bodies of water under their jurisdiction. The directive given to the villages aims to prevent the equipment from leaving the collective system to be sold or reserved for a few families.
