Lagos to shut down hotels operating without certified swimming pool life guards

Lagos State government has said that it would begin to shutdown hotels that operate swimming pool facility without certified life guards.

Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LASC), Mr Lanre Mojola, gave this hint on Tuesday while addressing participants at a one day sensitisation on drowning prevention in the state.

At the sensitisation programme tagged; “Drowning Prevention In Lagos State” ,organised by the safety commission in collaboration with Strap and Safe Child Foundation, Mojola said that the Commission would not tolerate use of swimming pool by hotels without the presence of certified life guards.

The director general said that the importance of life guards to swimming pool safety cannot be underrated, adding that the state government would continue to ensure safety regulations were duly followed by all hotel operators in the state.

He stated that the state government aims to achieve zero drowning accident in the state, saying that it was possible to achieve with the support from all safety stakeholders.

Speaking further, Mojola urged Lagosians to always make use of the emergency numbers during any emergency situation, adding that all residents need to imbibe safety culture to enhance safety in the state.

Meanwhile, in her presentation, the Convener, Strap and Safe Child Foundation, Mrs Bolanle Edwards, lamented that there was a lot of safety anomaly in Nigeria, saying that due to this, many deaths had been recorded.

Edwards said that drowning in Lagos must come to zero level and that swimming pool operators should provide life guards in all their facilities to ensure safety of guests, most especially children.

Also, another facilitator, Mr Ehi Iden of the Occupational Healfh and Safefy Management, advised hotel owners to always employ trained and certified swimming pool managers.

Iden said that pool operators must make available emergency numbers at the pool so that guests can make use of it to raise the alarm when necessary.

He said that life guards must be certified in basic first aid and CPR skills, adding that it would encourage safety at swimming pools.