Coastguards urge Nigerians to acquire rescue skills

The Nigerian Marine Coastguards Volunteer Service has emphasised the importance of rescue skills as a fundamental necessity for Nigerians, especially during the rainy season.

The NMCGVS stated this on Wednesday in Apapa, Lagos, when it joined international agencies in celebrating World Drowning Prevention Day, which has been slated every July 25 by the United Nations.

In his opening remarks, Captain Femi Daramola highlighted the need for members of NMCGVS to receive upgrades to enhance their rescue operations.

He reiterated the importance of rescue skills as a fundamental necessity for Nigerians.

Daramola shared insights into the crucial roles of NMCGVS in search and rescue operations, communication, transportation, and medical response.

“They underscored the importance of technology in their work, particularly the use of digital imaging, drones, and GPS for managing emergencies,” he said.

The Chief Commanding Officer of NMCGVS, Captain Isaac Adamolekun, noted that many Nigerian states were vulnerable to flood disasters.

He stressed the need for increased efforts in rescuing people from drowning and protecting them from aquatic predators.

Adamolekun, who is a marine specialist, affirmed that with professional training in swimming and seamanship, NMCGVS was prepared to serve across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We are calling on international organisations, the Federal Government, state governments, and other stakeholders to provide adequate funding and professional equipment to support our mission,” he remarked.

He urged those bodies to help expand NMCGVS’s network nationwide, establishing fixed bases and supplying essential equipment such as jet skis and surfboards.

Established on August 8, 2019, NMCGVS is a specialised regimented para-military seaborne humanitarian formation aimed to tackle drowning in Nigerians as its national assignment.