NIWA opens Search and Rescue Centre in Lagos

NIWA opens Search and Rescue Centre in Lagos

* Trains 17 Marine staff on safety ecology

Barely a month after activating navigational aids in Lagos, the Federal Government regulatory agency on brown water economy, National Inland Waterways Authority, (NIWA) Tuesday, last week ramped up more safety timelines for Lagos waters, by setting up a Search and Rescue centre.

To ensure the centre is adequately manned to respond to emergencies, about seventeen staff of the marine department in the Lagos area office, were trained on how to activate, identify and direct safety ecology towards distressed crafts on water.

The NIWA Lagos Search and Rescue team, were also drilled on basic training for Radio Communication skills and how to use same to strategically network with crafts, as well as other national emergency agencies as specified by International Maritime Organisation ( IMO), whenever *save our soul* ( SOS) Operational situation arises on water.

In a brief remark during the training programme for Lagos safety team and inauguration of the S and R Center, Engineer Sarat Lara Braimah, Area Manager, NIWA Lagos, expressed deep appreciation to the Managing Director of NIWA, Dr George Moghalu for approving and setting up the Search and Rescue Center, barely few weeks after unveiling navigational buoys to guide and provide safe roadmap for water transportation in Lagos.

She also applauded the General Manager, Marine, NIWA Headquarters, Engineer, Joseph Ororo for encouragement, reiterating that by these enduring safety measures, Dr Moghalu has challenged the Lagos area office of NIWA, to brace up for effective discharge of its mandate to stakeholders and sundry users of the critical busy Lagos waterways.

Engineer Braimah informed Lagos team Rescue Center, that to whom much is given, much is expected. She appealed that the time has come for all hands to be deck as safety issues require deep interpretation, implemention and joint execution.