…affirms commitment to saving lives at sea
By Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt ( Flowerbudnews): Occasioned by the increasing rate of boat mishaps in the country, the Nigerian Navy, NNS Pathfinder has conducted a search and rescue simulation exercise to save lives at sea.
The exercise was also conducted to curb boat mishap casualties recorded with the nation’s maritime domain.
The exercise was held on the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to all Naval Commands in the country.
NNS Pathfinder is under the Eastern Naval Command.
It was conducted in conjunction with 10 other agencies including the Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Army, Civil Defence, Police, NEMA, NIMASA, NIWA, NPA, the Rivers State Government, amongst others.
Speaking, the Naval Commander, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said the Nigerian Navy was poised to save lives at sea, noting that apart from protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain from both external and internal threats, the Navy also must protect lives.
Igbo also commended the Rivers State Government the Chief of Naval Staff, and the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, for their support in the conduct of the Search and Rescue Simulation Exercise, SAR SIMEX.
“This event is occasioned by the increased rate of boat mishaps and several casualties recorded in Nigeria’s maritime domain including Rivers State.
in recent times. Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy in keeping with its constitutional mandate of ensuring the safety and security of the nation’s maritime environment mobilized other relevant maritime stakeholders to employ a SAR procedure to curb this trend.
“The SAR SIMEX is aimed at exercising the Nigerian Navy and other relevant maritime agencies in Emergency SAR operations to effectively conduct SAR operations in the maritime environment to encourage the Rivers State Government to reactivate its Emergency SAR team.
“The exercise was necessitated by the need for the Nigerian Navy to save lives at sea, apart from protecting the maritime environment including oil and gas assets, we also have the mandate to protect lives and properties, that is why the CNS mandated us to simulate this exercise with other security agencies.
“The point is that we must protect lives, in collaboration with other stakeholders including the Rivers State Government. We already have our Naval boats and ships in the creeks, in case of any emergency.”
Also speaking, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, represented by Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, commended the Nigerian Navy for conducting the exercise and hinted at plans to revitalize the State Emergency Management Agency.
The governor recalled the heroic act of a Rivers indigene, Joe Blankson, who lost his life after rescuing 14 persons during a boat mishap along the Bakana River in 2018.
“We must commend the Nigerian Navy for putting the simulation exercise together, and to let us know that we all have a part to play in ensuring a holistic approach for safety and security on our waterways.”
For his part, the Police Commissioner in Rivers State, Olatunji Disu, who described the marine Police as one of the most important agencies in water operations, assured of readiness to collaborate with other agencies in carrying out rescue operations within the state’s waterways
Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Surv. Bernard Ekawu, said NIWA remains passionate concerning safety on the waterways and has already established search and rescue centres across all area offices.
“The Authority is poised to ensure that there is safety on our waterways, however, it needs an interagency collaboration. There is emphasis from the Authority on adherence to safety protocol. We don’t allow sailing at night, boat overloading, rickety boats, and moving without life jackets. So all stakeholders on the waterways must adhere to safety protocol,” NIWA said.
For his part, the South-South Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr Adebiyi Razaq, represented by the Zonal Secretary, Mr Ochoche Samson Ochepo, said NEMA was already carrying out advocacy and sensitization to reduce disasters on the waterways. (Flowerbudnews)
