- Commissioner for Transportation, Osiyemi Oluwaseun (with white cap behind), General Manager of LASWA, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel (to his left), Manager/Head of Dolphin Swim School, Sopuluchukwu Onuegbu (right), and others pose with the pupils after their demonstration of their safe swimming skills at the Bloomgrey Recreation at Gbagada, Lagos…Friday
By Anthony Nwachukwu
Fifty pupils from public schools in Somolu/Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Friday completed their basic safe swimming programme under the Water Savvy Kids Programme of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA).
This brings to 200 the number of pupils from different parts of the state that have gained the confidence-boosting safe swimming skill, as the Lagos State Government intensifies efforts to reduce residents’ fear and phobia for water transportation.
The programme, being held at the Bloomgrey Pool in Gbagada, educates state public primary school pupils on basic survival swimming techniques, resuscitation, CPR, and waterways safety, to promote a swimming culture and alleviate water phobia among Lagosians.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Transportation, Osiyemi Oluwaseun, said that “children are the best people to communicate whatever message we are trying to pass to their parents as regards using waterways.
“It goes a long way if the children can pass the message of confidence to their parents and break the phobia and fear of water transportation. The importance of reassuring people on our waterways, of breaking that phobia and fear, cannot be overemphasised.
“This is best passed through these our wonderful kids. It is deliberate and intentional bringing it to Shomolu because it is something that we need to improve awareness.”
Osiyemi further explained that waterways are very important for transportation in Lagos in view of the congestion on the roads, adding that the governor is particular about transportation.
“Moving people and goods from Point A to B is something we have to be intentional about in Lagos, bearing in mind that we have a very small state in size but we have over 22 million people that reside in Lagos.”
According to him, for viable options in moving people around, the state has developed multi-modal transportation – road, rail and inland waterways, and “with all of that, there must be some level of integration, but first we must be able to have confidence in our waterways.
“We have done many initiatives in the last couple of months; we have new ferries of international standards that you can be rest assured that when you get in them, not only will you be comfortable from Point A to B but also assured that there is safety.”
The transport commissioner urged the pupils to retain whatever they have been taught in the programme and also tell their parents to improve their skills in order not to get rusty,
The commissioner stated that based on the observed success and emerging benefits from the four editions of the programme so far, it would continue across the state and the number increased from the current 50. He also urged parents to assist their pupils to upgrade on their skills and not allow them to get rusty.
Earlier, the General Manager of LASWA, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, explained that transportation in Lagos was taking a totally new turn, as all government agencies are ensuring mass movement of people, with inland waterways a crucial component.
He disclosed that initially, many of these children could not step into water, but are now eager to dive in, adding that it was part of LASWA’s contributions to get Lagosians “more acquainted with waterways transportation, cleanliness and sustainability of the waterways system in the state.”
He disclosed that the agency works with the State Universal Basis Education Board (SUBEB), which identifies the primary schools and pupils through random selection.
“What we do every year is identify an area and within that area pick students,” he explained. “One of the things we want to do is to promote swimming culture, and to get more people attuned to the fact that we are surrounded by water in Lagos State.
“In spite of the fact that we are surrounded by water, a lot of people still have water phobia. So, we believe that through this kind of programme, we can encourage more people to learn how to swim and of course use water transportation, which is a viable mode of transportation now in Lagos State.
Meanwhile, the Manager/Head of Dolphin Swim School, Sopuluchukwu Onuegbu, disclosed that the school has so far trained 200 children on water safety skills and survival around the water since partnering LASWA in the past four years.
“Together, we are creating a safer water environment and future for these children, helping them to build their water confidence, and we hope that this continues.”
Similarly, the Director of Bloomgrey Recreation, which owns the swimming pool, Mrs. Azukaego Ekpe, said that for them and the children, it was a dream come true increasing water education around the environment.
The commissioner presented the kids with certificates for the skills acquired, just as they exhibited what they learnt before their guests.
