By Abela Msikula in Mwanza
ABOUT 400m/- has been set aside for installation of Security and Rescue Centre in the Lake Victoria before the end of this year.
This was revealed by the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) Director General (DG), Mr Emmanuel Ndomba.
In an exclusive interview with the 'Daily News' over the weekend, the DG said that at the beginning the centre will be equipped with among others, two high-speed boats covering 70km per hour.
"Our experts are searching for the best site....it might be installed either in Ukerewe (Mwanza) or Bukoba (Kagera) District.
It is a kind of one stop centre, where you find all State organs dealing with security and rescue issues, mostly the Fire and Rescue Force will be part of operators.
"Telephone service providers have already been consulted and set 0800110101 and 0800110107 as free hotlines for anyone in distress in the Lake Victoria water to call," pointed out Mr Ndomba.
Elaborating, he noted the centre is for mostly fighting against water accidents with the available statistics showing that at-least one person dies on daily basis in the water body.
Similarly, in collaboration with other stakeholders, TASAC has embarked on registration of all vessels in Lake Victoria (Tanzanian side) to identify and estimate the number of vessels plying on it, and hence, easily reach them whenever necessary.
"They (vessel operators) should also know how exactly this centre is going to operate and how to communicate for quick rescue and related services. Thus, knowing their number is a must as they must also know that Tanzanian water bodies without accidents is possible," stressed Mr Ndomba.
To make it most successful, he added, TASAC was set to embark on life-jacket campaigns that would make sure nobody gets in any water vessel without such a rescue facility.
According to him, there is 100 per cent surety of their rescue, whenever they would be called when any vessel will be involved in water accident.
"One can even relax and read a book on water while in life-jacket, because it is composed of a reflector to show his/her whereabouts. If that isn't enough then the jacket has a whistle, of which a victim can blow to let rescuers see her/him......Thus, the jacket is number one rescuer. We are engineering this, but first seeking full support from the central government and other stakeholders," said the Corporation's boss.
For his part, Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) Executive Director, Mr Eric Hamiss, commended the TASAC move towards improving security services in the water, especially this time when the government is set to increase Marine vessels in all major Tanzanian water bodies.
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