The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) yesterday handed over two fast intervention vessels and three ventilators to the Lagos State Government to help in the fight against COVID-19 Pandemic
The Director General of NIMASA; Dr. Bashir Jamoh disclosed this at the handing over of the medical equipment ceremony held in Lagos. He also added that, in addition to the items and the boats, the agency is also donating N50Million to both the state government and the Federal Government.
Jamoh informed that from the N50 million donation, N20 million would go to Lagos State, adding that N30 million went to Abuja because Federal Government had approved five stadia as isolation centers to curb the spread of the disease.
According to him, "as an agency, NIMASA is working hard both with the internal and external stakeholders to fashion out strategic effort that will be put in place to fight the coronavirus menace.
“We are here to flag off the distribution of some of the items and materials that will be used in this fight.
“We have ventilators and testing materials, ambulance, fire brigade machine to be used to spray chemicals to reduce the virus.
“The others are 36-sitter bus, 16-sitter bus, oxygen concentrator, personal protective equipment, hand santisers and also there will be handy volunteers to work with the government and experts that will use the fire engine machine,'' he said.
Jamoh further said that as a regulatory agency, NIMASA was very concerned about the coastal communities and that it is taking their issues very serious.
He explained that the agency is trying to look at those in the hinterland which regularly interacts with NIMASA, as they are prone to getting this virus, adding that with the fast intervention vessels it would be easier to get to them.
`We decided to give these donations to all our landlords wherever we operate, the western zone which is Lagos, Eastern zone- Port Harcourt, and central zone we have Warri and Calabar, adding that all the six geo-political zone will benefit from it.
“The zones are Maiduguri for North East Kaduna for North West, Kwara for North Central, Anambra for South east and also Abuja,'' he said.
The NIMASA DG further said that the agency was with the Lagos State in this time of need, also appreciating the dynamic leadership of the Lagos State Governor who was moving around himself to ensure that the citizens stay at home.
“The state government’s donations in terms of food, giving information and update on the day to day basis on where the state was going is commendable.
“We want to also appreciate the National Centre for Disease Control for their effort in terms of sensitising of the public and so we feel that Nigerians owe it a duty by abiding by rules and guideline of staying at home,'' he said.
Receiving the medical equipment on behalf of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Rabiu Olowo, Commissioner for Finance in his response said that the goodwill from NIMASA was most welcomed on behalf of the governor and the good people of Lagos State.
In his words: "As you are all aware Lagos State is the epic center of this pandemic that everyone is fighting across the globe.
“We have seen the response of the state to this and the true leadership of Mr Governor to fighting this.
“So this donation will go a long way in supporting and complementing the state effort towards fighting this Pandemic.
The Donations by NIMASA include: Ventilators, Ambulances, Fast Intervention Vessels Oxygen’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Hand sanitizers, among others.
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