By Ola Kay
The Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations has announced that more than 840 event centres and social facilities have been sealed off by the government for safety violations and non-compliance with extant laws.
The ministry also informed that safety officers from the state’s Emergency and Fire Rescue agency succeeded in rescuing 376 victims and preserved properties worth N152.22bn, while it lamented the loss of no fewer than 82 lives and properties worth N25.37bn to acts of safety violations.
According to the ministry, its decision to seal the event centres was to douse risks and protect the lives and property of the government and citizens.
During a Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre on Monday, the Commissioner, Gbenga Oyerinde, emphasized the achievements of the ministry in 2023.
Oyerinde explained that the Lagos State Safety Commission carried out enforcement action at 840 facilities which included event centres, clubs, lounges and hotels, and construction sites for safety offences in the interest of public safety in the last year.
He said that the Commission succeeded in sealing off the Lekki Conservation Centre, Quilox, among others. He added that about 7,819 facilities were inspected to ensure safety, with some 5,220 issued with fire safety compliance certificates.
And, as part of the moves to enhance its operations, the commissioner said that, “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.
He revealed that major statistics from the year’s emergency calls amounted to a total of 2,537 incidents, including 1,627 fire calls, 191 rescue calls, 93 salvage calls, and four explosions, alongside 607 false alarms.
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