“There is a need to increase swimming culture among children and we have deemed it fit to take this to public schools and to all the divisions of the state.
“The training of kids on how to swim is not only done by Lagos State Waterways Authority, the Sport commission is also involved.
” There has been a call to all stakeholders to create more awareness and encourage the swimming culture as well as ensure that there are always water guards around the pools.
“This is the third edition, and we have taken the exercise to Ibeshe, Ojo and Epe,” Emmanuel said.
The LASWA boss promised to continue to engage schools, teachers and parents to understand that the program is safe, and health-wise, advisable.
He promised to look into inclusion of teachers along riverine areas in the training.
Emmanuel said that safety of lives on the waterways had became paramount and LASWA would continue to give it its utmost attention by providing necessary safety guidelines and life jackets.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Lead Instructor, Dolphin Swim School and Dolphin Aquatic Center Ltd., Mrs Aderoju Ope-Ajayi, said the pupils learnt how to use life jackets properly, how to swim with it and how to avoid drowning.
Ope-Ajayi said that the pupils were taught the importance of water safety and were able to grasp the concept easily because they had the local knowledge of swimming.
“Currently, we run a learn-to swim program for children and adults.
“A child learning how to be water safe means drowning prevention; that means the rate of death by drowning will significantly reduce.
Over 800 children drown every year, now the children will demonstrate the skills they learnt during the training,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries from Local Government Primary School, Oriba in Epe, Miss Afusat Muritala, said she was able to learn basic survival strategies, diving and swimming.
Another pupil, Moshood Idowu, appreciated the state government and LASUBEB management for the swimming training.
