The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), as part of efforts to ensure effective response and mitigation of emergencies and disasters, has inaugurated an Inter-Agency Technical Working Group on its proposed five-year plan to ensure the safety of Lagos residents.
In his address at the inauguration and flag-off of a three-day meeting of the Technical Working Group in Lekki, Lagos, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Engr. Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, explained that the establishment of the group became imperative for LASEMA, as the overall coordinator of emergency/disaster management in Lagos, to meet and devise new ways to successfully combat emerging threats.
He said Lagos is a fast growing city with a large population and never-ceasing intense economic activities and, therefore, tasked members of the Technical Working Group to come up with a detailed plan on strategies, tasks and deadlines to boost safety in the State, saying "Everyone has a part to play not only in the development of the document, but also in its implementation which may include, but is not limited to, Policies and Regulations, Code Enforcement and Community Awareness.
The Commissioner reiterated that the Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu-led administration is particular about the safety and protection of lives and property in Lagos, as evidenced in the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, which he said was translating to optimal service delivery in fulfilment of his promise to the citizenry.
"Let me remind you that it is our primary responsibility to join hands and ensure that Lagos State remains a safe and conducive environment for its citizens and a destination of choice for local and international investors", Bamgbose-Martins asserted.
The Director-General/CEO LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who inaugurated the Technical Working Group, harped on the need for emergency responders to work in harmony with one another, noting that "The world is not a very safe place to live in these days, as disaster might strike in the form of natural calamities, terrorist attacks and accidents at any moment".
He explained that the outcome of the meeting would eliminate rivalry amongst all emergency responders and stakeholders operating within Lagos State, to enable quick and effective intervention because "Lagos as a part of the global village is also prone to these disasters".
He explained that Lagos with its rapidly growing population of more than 20 million and large urban concentration, urban development in coastal areas and the largely poor enforcement of building codes, cannot afford distractions through rivalry.
Oke-Osanyintolu said: "When there's competition among the agencies, we will not be effective, so we have to look at how we are going to work together, examine the rules and regulations, as well as our roles which must be clear, so that there's no overlapping and most importantly, we must respect one another and work as a team".
In his lecture before the brainstorming session of the Technical Working Group, a Consultant and the South-West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, gave kudos to the initiative, which he described as a great step in the right direction.
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