8th February, 2024
Lagos State Government has embarked on an intense fire sensitisation campaigns to some markets in the metropolis to educate traders on fire prevention and safety measures.
This follows the recent fire incidents in some markets in Lagos.
Top government officials visited Timber markets in Oko-Baba, Amu in Mushin and Timber Market in Isolo for the enlightenment programme.
At the event were the Commissioner for Special Duties, Gbenga Oyerinde; Director-General, Lagos Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola; officials of the Ministry of Special Duties and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
According to Oyerinde, the sensitization campaign would be taken to other sectors in the state.
He said there is a roadmap for the year, saying among the road map is the stakeholders meeting across every sector of the grassroots.
“Today we are with the timber sector, we are going to go to the mechanics, we will reach out to market places where they sell different things. We will still hold mega stakeholders forum where every interest will be taken care of,” he stated.
Also speaking, Mojola said government officials were here to bring the message of safety to the grassroots.
“Like they always say, prevention is better than cure. It is better to prevent fire than fight the fire, because when you fight the fire there are so many things that happen. First is the loss of lives, second is damage to property.
“That is why we are here. We are here in the markets to talk to them about fire prevention and safety measures. We have the flyers. We have seen the improvement from where we are coming from,” he said.
Mojola added that the exercise would be a continuous one that would see government officials going to all the nooks and crannies of Lagos state.
The Director, Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye decried incessant fire outbreaks in the state, saying that 2,583 fire outbreaks were recorded in the state in 2023.
She said the service received 251 emergency calls in January alone, attributing the rise in the cases of fire outbreaks primarily to negligence and delayed reporting.
Adeseye stated that human actions such as improper storage of petroleum products, misuse of electrical appliances, hot works operations, and mishandling gas cylinders remained significant contributing factors.
The director said the state government is intensifying its fire safety awareness campaign across all local government areas, focusing on key public spaces, including markets, hospitals, schools, and religious centres for enhanced outreach efforts.