Jnr Pope: Delta bans actors from boat trips without safety gadgets

The Delta state government says actors will no longer be allowed to travel on waterways without life jackets.

In a statement, Nnamdi Ijeh, the commissioner for culture and tourism, sympathised with the families of victims of the recent boat mishap that claimed the lives of five persons including Junior Pope, the film star.

The commissioner warned movie stars and the public not to travel on the state waterways “without expert divers or ensuring other safety measures”.

“On behalf of the State Government, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the entire creative family in the State, I sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives in the process of expressing their creative talent on their way from the location of shooting a movie on April 10, 2024, and the entire Nollywood family,” the statement reads.

“It is with a heavy heart that I want you to know that we share in your pain. At the time the news got to us, we arrived at the scene and discovered that the few ones who were saved from the boat mishap were on life jackets.

“It is therefore very expedient that, at this time of grief, to say that henceforth, such journeys should not be embarked upon without life jackets, expert divers, and other safety precautions.”

In the letter, copied to Emeka Rollas, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), the government reiterated its commitment to “taking the life of every citizen as a priority”.

“The Delta Government taking the life of every citizen as a priority and therefore warns against water journeys without the required safety gadgets, especially those within the entertainment industry,” the statement added.

On April 11, AGN suspended all movies involving riverine locations.

The guild also set up a committee to improve the safety of its members.