By Hauwa Ali
Nigeria’s Chief Inspector of Diving, Mr. Julius Ugwala has adviced that all multinational and local companies to get approvals from the Diving Governing Board of Ministry of Labour before the commencement of all diving operations across the country.
Ugwala stated this in Lagos while speaking on the recent nationwide enforcement exercise embarked by the Diving Governing Board.
According to Ugwala, organisations which conduct diving operations without the approval of the Diving Governing Board contravene the 2018 Diving at Work regulation, adding that most deaths and accidents recorded in the country are avoidable if appropriate safety measures are consciously taken.
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“When safety measures are ignored, it leads to fatalities and sometimes this happens so fast. The board will continue to strive to attain its mandate which is a safe diving sector. One of the ways to comply with safe diving regulations is to apply to the Director of Diving informing the Board of the intention to carry out diving activities and obtaining a proper approval,” he said.
“We are focused on ensuring safe dives and enforcing compliance to the 2018 Diving at Work regulation. The regulation stipulates that before any diving commences on Nigerian territorial waters, there must be an approval. Besides that, there is also something known as Labour Card and Permit to Dive. Organisations should endeavour to obtain them.” He added.
Ugwala lamented that the consequences of unregulated diving results in death of divers, in which the Board is resolved to carry out audits of all dive jobs on Nigerian waters to close all safety gaps and sanitise the industry while ensuring safe diving operations.
Recall that the Nigerian Diving Board recently prohibited some diving operations in Lagos for operating without approvals, violating other regulations and following the death of a diver on one of the sites.
