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By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Government has sealed over 840 event centres and social facilities for safety violations and non-compliance with extant laws.
The Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, disclosed this while
speaking during the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing.
He also highlighted the achievements of the ministry in the last one year, revealing that Lagos State Safety Commission had carried out enforcement action on 840 facilities including event centres, clubs, lounges and hotels, construction sites for safety infractions in the interest of public safety in the last one year.
The ministry said it was working in line with the THEMES Plus developmental agenda of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to mitigate risks and protect lives and property of government and the citizens.
The commissioner added that about 7,819 facilities were inspected to ensure safety, with some 5,220 issued with fire safety compliance certificates.
He also said that the commission through its environmental safety had carried out not less than 365 advocacy initiatives.
“Our ministry in working in line with the THEMES Plus developmental agenda of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to mitigate risks and protect lives and property of government and citizens of Lagos State, have sealed 840 event centres and social facilities for safety violations and non-compliance with extant laws,” Oyerinde said.
The commissioner also stated that fire safety officers from the State Emergency and Fire Rescue agency successfully rescued 376 victims, preserving an estimated property worth of N152.22 billion, albeit with a regrettable loss of 82 casualties and N25.37 billion in property.
He also revealed that additional fire stations were added in Ibeju Lekki, Ifako Ijaiye among other locations across the state.
The commissioner said: “In line with efforts to bolster infrastructure, three new fire stations are nearing completion in Ijegun-Egba, Satellite Town, and Ijede, while an ultramodern workshop at the Alausa headquarters is nearly finished to cater to the agency’s fleet maintenance needs.
“Additionally, land spaces have been identified for the development of additional fire stations in Ibeju, Lekki and Ifako Ijaiye,” he said
He added that Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had prioritised fire mitigation and Emergency Response Strategies.
Also during the year under review, the commissioner said the welfare of personnel received a boost, with special allowances approved for firefighters, including uniform maintenance, shift allowances, hazard allowance, and provision of personal protective equipment, just as he added that capacity development was also prioritised through both foreign and local training and retraining programmes to ensure readiness for emerging trends and mitigate fire incidents in the state.
