The National Chief Commodore of Sea Scouts, Mr Lanre Ibrahim, has assured commuters plying the waterways of adequate security and safety.
Ibrahim said that the Sea Scouts would be working closely with the Nigerian Navy and marine police to achieve it.
He gave the assurance during a visit to Tarzan Boat Company in Lagos by the Sea Scouts late on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sea Scouts are members of a voluntary international organization founded in July 1909 with particular emphasis on boating and water-based activities.
These activities can be on the sea, rivers or lakes. Sea Scouts can provide a chance to sail, cruise on boats, learn navigation, learn how to work on engines and compete in regattas.
They are also trained to combat security threats on waterways.
Ibrahim said that his team were well trained to combat any security challenges on waterways and were ever ready to work closely with government security agencies.
“We are self-sponsored; we carry out surveillance on all the navigation water channels across the country to ensure safety on the waterways,” he said.
He, however, said that that the organization had not been well recognised in the country compared to other advanced countries.
He said that governments of developed countries used to engage the services of Sea Scouts to complement the efforts of their security personnel on their waterways.
Ibrahim listed the challenges facing the organization to include: lack of funding, lack of training and swimming boats and operational offices.
He solicited the assistance of NGOs, individuals, private bodies, philanthropists and government for the organization to be able to perform its statutory functions efficiently.
The Sea Scouts’ boss said that the organization was planning to start organizing trainings for youths at an early stage for them to become self-dependent and professionals in boat maintenance.
Ibrahim said that the organization would like to train the youth in swimming, fishing and on how they could become good marine officers’ ambassadors.
Earlier, Mr. Yusuf Bello, the boat maintenance officer of Tarzan Boats Company, took the members of the association on a facility tour of the company.
He explained the various categories of boats used on waterways and what they used them for to the Sea Scouts.
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