Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — THE Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, yesterday handed over three relief materials valued at over N700million to both the Lagos State Federal government to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirius pandemic.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Lagos, Director General of the NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh said that besides the N5million cash donation, the agency is joining to stop the spread of the virus by supporting the initiative of government with the agency modest support.
Although, Jamoh was silent on the amount that has spent in the purchase of the relief material and equipment adding that the agency was still put the figures together.
He however disclosed that one ventilator cost N15million and over thirty has been acquired, including six fast intervention boats, three fire fighting vehicles, three Ambulances, Personal Protective Equipment, PPE amongst others.
Recall that the agency had earlier made a donation of N50million cash to contain the spread of the virus.
Jamoh said that the agency was working hard to see what strategic efforts it can put in place to put to an end the spread of the virus.
The agency boss explained that the agency was also providing stilled personnel as volunteer to help the Lagos State Government in handling some of these equipment.
He also said that the agency was concentrating in communities, particularly coastal cities where the agency operates adding that the fast intervention boats was purposely meant for Nigerians living in the coastal communities but come to the hinterland from time to time.
He said: “The issue Of Coronavirus is real and we cannot afford to be laid back in trying to see the end of this chronic problem.
“We are working hard as both our staff that is the internal stakeholders and our external stakeholders to see what strategic effort we can put in place to bring this menace to the barest minimum within the shortest possible time.
“So we are here this evening to flag off the distribution of the some of the items and relief materials.”
Jamoh also stated the agency decided to donate these materials to its landlords across the country just as materials were also donated to the six geo-political zones across the country.