Sanwo-Olu Launches LASWA Data Centre To Enhance Safety, Security On Lagos Waterways

Sanwo-Olu Launches LASWA Data Centre To Enhance Safety, Security On Lagos Waterways

Commuters using Lagos State’s Water Transport Services are in for a fresh safety expe­rience, with the activation of modern monitoring gadgets and infrastructure to enhance secu­rity across the State’s waterways transportation network.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, commissioned the new­ly installed Waterways Monitor­ing and Data Management Centre (WMDMC) at the Five Cowrie Ter­minal – the headquarters of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) in Falomo, Ikoyi.

The Data Management Centre, which is first of its kind in the country, is a centralised monitor­ing base for all activities on the Lagos waterway. By the technol­ogy, LASWA is now empowered to generate real-time information, enhance safety and gather data for continuous improvement of the inland waterways.

The Governor also unveiled advanced DJI Aerial Drone for surface surveillance and BlueEye Pro drone for underwater search and rescue operations. He handed over units of automatic U-SAFE rescuing gadgets for emergency evacuation.

Sanwo-Olu, at the event well attended by private operators, inaugurated LASWA Search and Rescue Unit (SAR), which will be responsible for patrolling and enforcing the State’s waterways rules and regulation.

The Governor said the devel­opment further demonstrated his administration’s commitment towards improving mobility through multimodal transporta­tion system and create affordable transit options for the residents.

Sanwo-Olu maintained that Traffic Management and Transportation remained the key component of his Govern­ment’s economic development plan, stressing that waterways transport had enjoyed special attention in the last three years because of the need to link it with existing rail and road transporta­tion networks.

He said: “In the last three and half years, our administration has invested massively in water­ways infrastructure and assets to deliberately encourage and promote water transportation in Lagos. Our gathering today is to further deepen our commitment to have a safe and secure ferry op­eration on our waterways. We are commissioning a big command and control centre specifically es­tablished to monitor and protect our waterways.

“We are inaugurating the new­ly created Search and Rescue Unit that will be patrolling and en­forcing our waterways rules and regulation. We are handing over two additional patrol boats and safety enhancements. We are also launching advanced D.J.I. Aerial Drone, BlueEye Pro drone for un­derwater searches, and U-SAFE rescuing gadgets.”