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Stakeholders call for certified lifeguards to prevent drowning

starmichJune 1, 2024

2 minutes read

Stakeholders call for certified lifeguards to prevent drowning

Stakeholders at a meeting on water safety in Lagos have stressed the importance of having certified lifeguards at swimming pools and beaches in order to reduce drowning to the barest minimum in the state.

Participants at the Stakeholders sensitization meeting which was hosted by Lagos State Safety Commission in conjunction with Global Sports Exclusive Promotions and held at Waves Beach, Elegushi, Lagos included administrators of various beach houses and swimming pools facilities, as well as representatives from Private Swimming Coaches Association Lagos (PSCAL), Ocean 28 Swimming Academy, Dolphin Swimming School, Titan Seal Community, Lagos State Waterways Authority, and other stakeholders.

Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, in his address at the meeting charged swimming facilities operators to have certified lifeguards around their swimming facilities in order to prevent drowning in the state. Mr Mojola said, “water Safety is a collective responsibility of everyone and the Lagos State Safety Commission will continue to restrategize and engage in more advocacy programmes towards achieving a zero drowning in Lagos State”. He tasked swimming facilities operators on the need to have a professional certified lifeguards around their swimming facilities while assuring that the commission would organize more school safety programmes as well as engage in continuous collaboration with water safety stakeholders.

In the same vein, the initiator of the initiative, Hon. Olarenwaju M. Saidi, who is also a Governing Board Member at the Lagos State Sports Commission, in his opening remarks noted that the essence of meeting with stakeholders in the aquatic industry was to address the occurrence of drowning incidents which must be adequately monitored and prevented in Lagos State.

Hon. Olarenwaju emphasized the importance of having certified lifeguards in all communities where jetties were operating across Lagos State. He also announced the practical training for lifeguards next month in commemoration of this year’s World Drowning Prevention Day, as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), every July 25th.

The representative of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Ibrahim, in his speech at the meeting urged stakeholders in the aquatic industry to take water safety seriously and reiterated the central focus of the Authority on people’s wellness on water. He also emphasised the need for all management of beach houses and swimming pools to put all hands on deck to ensure effective water safety delivery in Lagos State.

Also speaking at the meeting, a swimming coach, Mr Abiodun Ojomo, raised concerns about the lack of certified lifeguards that could save the victims of water accidents. He suggested that Lagos State Safety Commission should provide more monitoring boats team on the water with lifeguards to monitor water activities.

On his part, Coach Kolawole Ogunsemore argued that lack of data on all the jetty operators and lack of proper awareness also contributed to drowning. He advocated that the State Government should ensure that all lifeguards were certified as well as organize continuous training and retraining, and recruiting professional swimmers to become certified lifeguards. Also, Coach Steve explained that drowning was not limited to beaches, pools, and rivers saying drowning could also occur in bathtubs and called for more awareness and sensitization on drowning.