Lagos State Government has restated its resolve to continually equip its emergency responders with the needed capacity and exposure to best practices in the management of emergency situations in the State.
Speaking at a 3-Day retreat for emergency responders in the State at the weekend, the Commissioner of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo said that the retreat was designed to reposition the Ministry to conform with the re-alignment of the mandate of MDAs by the present administration for improvement in service delivery.
According to him, the theme of the retreat, “Harmonising the Capability and Capacity of Human Resource Towards a Safer Society and Harmonious Relationship with MDAs, Civil Society and the Organised Private Sector”, underscores the need to periodically enhance the capacity of emergency responders to be able to deliver the mandate of providing swift interventions during emergency cases in addition to maintaining smooth relationship with other stakeholders that assists in emergency situations.
The Commissioner acknowledged the support enjoyed by emergency responders under the present administration in the State, saying that the response rate of the State emergency responders is presently second to none in the country.
He said the State Government’s efforts at decongesting the traffic situation across the State has greatly increased the pace of responding to emergency occurrences.
Citing the instance of the newly acquired first State-owned Helipad for medical emergency situations in the State, the
Commissioner assured that the State Government will continue to explore all avenues that would make the State emergency agency conform to international best practice and also improve the response time whenever an emergency occurs.
Oladejo decried the unavailability of fire detecting/preventing devices such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in most Lagos homes, stressing that the situation portends greater risk to the residents.
“On our part as government, we will not rest on our oars at providing public enlightenment for Lagosians on the need to always ensure that buildings have two or more emergency exits, the need to always switch off all electrical appliances at homes and offices, what to do during emergency and steps to take to minimize the degree of emergency situations”, he reiterated.
The Commissioner said that as it is already being carried out by the State Government, more simulation exercises would periodically be conducted for stakeholders in emergency management to acquit them with the proactive steps and measures needed in arresting real life emergency situations.
