By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has taken unwavering action against event centres and social facilities that violate safety regulations, sealing over 840 of them in the last one year.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde during the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Center on Monday.
According to him, the Lagos State Safety Commission has carried out enforcement actions at various facilities, including event centres, clubs, lounges, hotels, and construction sites, to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Notable examples of sealed facilities include the Lekki Conservation Centre and Quilox.
In addition, the Commission has inspected over 7,819 facilities to ensure safety, issuing fire safety compliance certificates to 5,220 of them.
It was gathered that the Commission has carried out at least 365 advocacy initiatives to promote environmental safety.
In his words, “Our ministry in working in line with the THEMES Plus developmental Agenda of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to mitigate risks and protect life and property of government and citizens of Lagos’ State, have sealed eight hundred and forty event centres and social facilities for safety violations and non-compliance of extant laws.”
The Commissioner also stated that fire safety officers from the States Emergency and Fire Rescue body 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.
“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 reiterated.
He added that Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had prioritised fire mitigation and Emergency Response Strategies
He also said “the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is sustaining its focus on enhancing fire mitigation and emergency response strategies, aligning with the administration’s THEMES Plus Agenda. Under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a collective effort was emphasised to address the challenges posed by fire incidents effectively.
“Key statistics from the year’s emergency calls revealed a total of 2,537 incidents, including 1,627 fire calls, 191 rescue calls, 93 salvage calls, and 4 explosions, alongside 607 false alarms.
“This highlighted the critical need for increased awareness of fire safety measures to combat the impact of negligence and non-compliance with safety codes,” he stated.
The Commissioner also highlighted the collaborative efforts with the Ministry of the Environment to improve the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp (Youth Hostel) at Iyana-Ipaja.
Furthermore, he also revealed that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) responded to a total of 1,906 incidents between January 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, comprising 1,461 incidents in 2023 and 445 incidents in the first quarter of 2024.