BY AGENCY REPORTER
The Director General, Lagos Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, said that the Lagos State Government had trained 1000 artisans, traders and commercial drivers on safely measures to reduce environmental accidents to barest minimum.
Mojola made the disclosure during the training programme organised by the Commission with the Theme “Hazard Identification and Hygiene Management for Transporters, Market Traders and Artisans in Lagos on Sunday.
He said, “Everyone needs to act safety, identify hazards, think safety and protect themselves from accidents.
“Many accidents that happened in the past happened due to negligence and people refusing to take precautions.
“Example of the negligence is that gas explosion that happened few weeks ago which was caused by discharge in the environment.
“When we got to the scene of the gas explosion, people we interviewed said they felt the gas smell and felt it on their legs but refused to act before the explosion took place.
”He advised artisans, commercial drivers, market men and women to try and identify hazards in their environment and also speak up in order to save lives and property.The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Issue, Tajudeen Gagi, said that the programme was to reawaken participants on how to protect themselves against unwanted accident at work.
Gaji said that the training was brought to reality by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to improve support when accident occurs among artisans in Lagos.
He said it was important for artisans to be kept alive, adding that most of the accident in the past happened due to low knowledge about safety.
The Technical Adviser, Lagos State Safety Commission, Seun Awojobi, urged the artisans and drivers to always support one another to prevent accident from happening and avoid loss of property.
Awojobi said that the commission planned to take the safety sensitisation to Local Government and Local Council Developments Areas, across the state.
He said that shop owners, traders as well as artisans should note that safety needed to be practiced and impacted on their family to guarantee a safer society.
Awojobi said that the state was tired of having premature deaths as a result of negligence and hazards that could be avoided.
An official of the Lagos State Fire Service, Olukotun Odunayo, urged Lagos residents to see fire prevention as everyone’s responsibility.
He pleaded with residents to always identify hazards and ensure its correction before escalating beyond control.
The representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Ganiu Shittu, appreciated the Lagos State Government for the opportunity and exposure to enable them avoid fire accidents in the roads.
He promised to pass the message to other members of the union and support government to reduce loss of lives and property due to negligence.
The Vice Chairman, Lagos State Market and Advisory Council, Folashade Ogidigbo, also said that she would extend the safety knowledge to other market leaders to prevent fire incidents in markets.
Ogidigbo pleaded with the Lagos State Government to extend such safety training to the grassroots for hazards identification and awareness.
One of the representatives of the Lagos State Hair Dressing and Beautician Association, Omolara Ojo, said she had learnt how to identify hazards and assist people while in danger.
NAN
