By Chinonye Anyatonwu
The Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has commissioned the NIMASA Search and Rescue Base Clinic, other facilities in Lagos.
The search and rescue clinic was among the project executed by the DG of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Jamoh and was commissioned by the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo at Azare Crescent Apapa, yesterday .
Among other 4 projects commissioned by Engr. Sambo were 5 new Patrol/ Security Boats, 5 Refurbished Search and Rescue Boats, Renovated Administration Block, NIMASA Multipurpose Hall, communication gadgets.
Ground breaking of the Apapa Skill Acquisition Center was also performed by the Minister at the construction site.
According to Sambo, the Clinic and other project will reinforce the commitment and the mission of NIMASA, which is to achieve and sustain safe, secure shipping, cleaner oceans and enhanced maritime capacity in line with the best global practices towards Nigeria’ s economic development.
Maritime cannot thrive without effective Search and Rescue because as much as we don’t want accidents, when they occur, we should be able to respond effectively.
The Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinating Centre for West and Central Africa Region is domiciled here and we have the SARBC to complement its activities.
What NIMASA has done is to upgrade the SAR clinic to the standards that would ensure it meets up with rescue centers of global repute, the issue of health in the Transport sector must always be at the front burner.
The NIMASA Search and Rescue Base Clinic is another stride for the maritime sector because it meets international standards and would serve more purposes of taking care of patients within and beyond the transport sector,” he stated.
Sambo stated that all the project commissioned in Lagos and Abuja showed to the good people of Nigeria, our relentless commitment to the delivery of good governance through our deliberate and concentrated efforts at institutionalizing policies and structures.
According to him, ” These ferries were acquired to increase the overall efficiency and productivity of the staff of the agency, by creating a more conducive means of transportation to and from official assignments ,thereby bypassing the hassles that associates with the operational terrain of the ports.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of the Apapa Skills Acquisition Center at Randle Road Apapa yesterday, Director General of NIMASA said that for one to provide security, there is need to fight insecurity and the cost to fight insecurity is much more than ten times the cost of redeeming insecurity.
“If we did not provide security, we have to fight insecurity, and to fight insecurity, the cost is much more than ten times in the cost of redeeming it, and as part of targeted policy for providing skilled knowledge for younger Nigerians to be on their own, and be able to employ others either
directly or indirectly is part of NIMASA’ s contribution.
Continuing, “Apapa as you are all aware is the first city to provide over 70% of our own revenue in the South West zone, we selected Apapa to be part of the places where we are going to place these skill acquisition centre.
“Am assuring you that by the grace of God, the project will be completed within 4 to 6 months, interval, we have never started a project that we never complete in NIMASA , so we assure you that we are going to complete the project soon”, he stated.
Recall that last week, the newly acquired NIMASA office in the Federal Capital Territory was also commissioned by the Honorable Minister bringing to an end, over a decade of the Agency operating from a rented facility in the Federal Capital.
The minister commended Jamoh for the successful delivery of these projects which he said would serve the good people of Nigeria.
