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  • ISPON urges regulators to enforce use of certified safety professionals in organisations

    ISPON urges regulators to enforce use of certified safety professionals in organisations

    …canvases integration into educational curriculum

    The National President of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Dr. Stephen Udeze, has called on regulatory bodies across various sectors to ensure that only certified and trained safety professionals are assigned safety responsibilities in organisations.

    Udeze, who spoke at the ISPON Lagos Safety Leadership Summit and Membership Induction, said enforcing such standards is a critical step in tackling quackery and promoting professional safety management across industries.

    He revealed that ISPON is strengthening its collaboration with government agencies and the House of Representatives Committee to enforce compliance with the provisions of the ISPON Act.

    According to him, many incidents, hazards, and unsafe workplace practices could be significantly reduced if only registered safety professionals were allowed to lead safety oversight in organisations.

    Udeze also urged the Federal Government to integrate safety management into the educational curriculum at all levels, stating that widespread understanding and adoption of safety principles would improve national compliance and workplace standards.

    He described the Lagos Safety Leadership Summit as part of a continuous professional development process aimed at equipping safety professionals to lead best practices across the value chain.

    He further encouraged ISPON members to deepen collaboration to elevate the standard and impact of safety management throughout the economy.

    Read Also: ISPON to Tinubu: Establish research centre for safety

    He said, “The only way to drive safety practices is for practitioners and organisations to do the right things by putting standards, procedures in the right burner, it is in adherence to this that we can avoid or reduce sporadic accidents and other unwanted developments. Failure to comply with the prescribed safety practice rules causes mishaps both in the workplace home and in other environments.

    “I charge the new inductees to take advantage of the institutional capacity available during this safety summit to scale their act as continuous professional development. Safety practice is not static, it is dynamic, and it is an opportunity to learn the right culture.”

    In collaboration with players, he said ISPON is working to ensure certified safety personnel take charge at the appropriate units.

    He said, “This is why the Federal Government must entrench the culture of safety being promoted by ISPON and pursue compliance; the issue of quackery, concerning service provision, is tackled.

    “We are calling on the Federal Government to ensure Safety Management practices are integrated into the curriculum of all levels of education, and the country will be on the part of doing this correctly.”

    On his part, Chairman of Lagos ISPON branch, Olusola Ogunleye, said the Summit was put together as a critical part of the national assignment to reposition safety management practices in the country, which should shine a spotlight on leadership.

    He said, “The whole idea is to advance leadership and set the agenda for the government on ways to drive a robust and formidable safety system.

  • ISPON to Tinubu: Establish research centre for safety

    ISPON to Tinubu: Establish research centre for safety

    The National President of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON),  Dr Stephen Udeze , has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider establishing a research centre for safety in the country to coordinate safety management practices and training and other matters related.

    Udeze said setting up such a centre has become compelling because of infractions concerning violation of safety management practices across the spectrum of sector’s in the country in both the public and private sectors.

    Speaking in an interview during ISPON’s Lagos State stakeholders meeting in Lagos, Udeze said the professional body is getting increasingly concerned about the way safety practices are carried out in the country urging the Federal Government to ensure there is compliance with the ISPON Act put together in 2014.

    Udeze described as illegal , a development where non – ISPON registered , trained and certified persons are selected as Safety Officers in both public and private organisations. Such aberration,  he  said, violates the provisions of the ISPON Act, which attracts both a fine and six months jail term.

    He said going by the provision of the Act, any certificate from any institution overseas is not valid as entry points into the profession except persons that have been certified qualified after running courses offered by the institute.

    Read Also: ISPON drags expelled members to court over impersonation, fraud

    He said many organizations continue to violate the provisions of the act, which has prompted the House of Representative Committee on Safety Standards to launch an inquiry into the infractions.

    Udeze said with the institutional partnership already in place , the Representative Committee will be visiting many private companies to ascertain their level of compliance with the prescribed regulations.

    While calling for active participation by Corporate Members, Udeze said the stakeholders forum convened by the Lagos State branch of ISPON has gone a long way to extract input from them on how to draw a roadmap to enhance the practice of the profession.

    He said the professional body will continue to propagate the safety campaign to ensure the best practices in many sector’s and of the economy.

    Udeze said the diversity of professionals that make up the body is key in ensuring the best practices are adhered to in many problems that occur across the country.

    Going forward, he said ISPON will hesitate to ensure only certified and qualified members are allowed to head critical technical positions bordering on safety management.

    In his welcome address, Chairman, Lagos State chapter of ISPON, Olusola Ogunleye canvassed a paradigm shift in the way safety practices are carried out in the country.

    Ogunleye said there is an urgent need to change the dynamics of safety practices , urging stakeholders to step up their game.

  • ISPON lauds Etteh, certifies 50 youths as safety officers

    ISPON lauds Etteh, certifies 50 youths as safety officers

    The national president of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Timothy Iwuagwu, has urged the youths of Eket/ONNA/Esit-Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency to see their certification in the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Professional Competency Development Programme as a “meal ticket” for the future.

    Engr. Iwuagwu made this statement on Saturday at Royalty Hotel, Eket, where he presented certificates to 50 youths who were professionally trained in safety management, Fire Watch duties, and Authorized Gas Testing (AGT) by ISPON in collaboration with the National Productivity Centre (NPC).

    While commending the sponsor of the training, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, who represents Eket/ONNA/Esit-Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency, the ISPON National President assured that the institute will continue to support the graduates for greater productivity.

    Addressing the beneficiaries of the programme, Hon. Etteh said: “I am happy because today’s event speaks directly to our commitment to youth empowerment, sustainable development, and the future of our federal constituency. Indeed, this is part of our efforts to fulfill our campaign promises, and it is worthy of celebration.”

    According to Hon. Etteh, the aim of the HSE programme, when launched, was to equip the youths of the federal constituency with skills that are not only relevant but also critical in today’s industrial and economic landscape.

    Read Also: ISPON drags expelled members to court over impersonation, fraud

    “The competencies you have gained in safety management, Fire Watch duties, and Authorized Gas Testing (AGT) will serve as the foundation for building successful careers in both the private and public sectors,” he affirmed.

    Hon. Etteh thanked NPC and ISPON, “who painstakingly provided us with trainers and instructors that worked diligently to deliver world-class instruction. Your contributions have been invaluable, and I thank you for your professionalism and dedication.”

    In his remarks, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers, Engr. Ndifreke Inokon, extended the institute’s goodwill message to the sponsor of the programme and urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the federal constituency, making the most of their certifications.

    Also speaking, former chairman of Eket Local Government Council, Hon. Aniekan Akpan, affirmed the people of the federal constituency’s confidence in Hon. Etteh’s capacity to deliver, saying, “Etteh is fulfilling his campaign promises. We know that he will do well. We must not tire of supporting him. He has the capacity to always deliver.”

    The highlight of the event, which was witnessed by HSE Manager of Network Exploration and Production, Mr. Innocris Ogbonna, was the presentation of a prestigious safety award to Hon. Etteh by the National President of ISPON.

  • ISPON: Quacks, fraudsters invading safety profession

    ISPON: Quacks, fraudsters invading safety profession

    The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) has expressed worry over the activities of quacks and impersonators in the safety profession.

    A statement yesterday by the president, Timothy Iwuagwu, accused expelled members of the institute of defrauding people by offering ISPON training courses and issuing fake certificates.

    According to him, their actions violate the ISPON Act 2014. He added that some culprits are currently facing 10-count criminal charges slammed on them by the Federal Government.

    Read Also; ISPON drags expelled members to court over impersonation, fraud

    Iwuagwu said: “There are persons involved in false claims of professional membership of ISPON, promoting quackery, offering ISPON training courses, defrauding unsuspecting victims and issuing fake certificates bearing the name of ISPON.

    “They have violated the ISPON Act 2014. The offenders are former members, some of who, for fraud and impersonation, are facing 10-counts of criminal charges. Also, they have willfully refused to subject themselves to the rule of law after unsuccessfully challenging their expulsion in court. Of note is that they have continued to disobey court orders and judgments”.

    He admonished transport operators and commuters to be observant, obey road safety and other rules.

  • ISPON begins enforcement of safety compliance nationwide 

    ISPON begins enforcement of safety compliance nationwide 

    The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) has started the enforcement of safety compliance in the both private and public sectors across the country.

    The national president of the ISPON, Timothy Iwuagwu, who disclosed this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, at the weekend, said its decision to enforce safety compliance was by the provisions of its Act, no 2 of 2014

    Iwuagwu spoke to journalists as part of activities marking the 2024 World Day for Safety and Health with the theme “Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on Occupational Safety and Health.” 

    While lamenting that a lot of companies do not have safety officers in their employ, the president stated that all supermarkets, churches, hospitals and schools are supposed to have safety units.

    He recalled that the Head of Service of the federation had, in a circular issued in July 2022, directed that all ministries parastatals and agencies of government must have a safety desk. 

    Iwuagwu said that the provisions of the Act stipulate heavy penalties for offenders, adding that an individual who claims to be a safety officer but is not, is liable to a fine of not exceeding N100,000 and six-month imprisonment or both.

    He added that the Act further stipulates that if a company employs someone who is not a safety professional to be in charge of safety-critical responsibility, such a company is liable to a fine of a minimum of N500,000 or imprisonment or both.

    Iwuagu said: “The enforcement of safety compliance in both private and public sectors of the economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has commenced as contained in the relevant provisions of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria Act No 2 of 2014.

    “People should look at the Act, the offences and penalties properly, the Act says in both the public and private sector, if an individual claims to be a member of ISPON, whereas he is not, the law says he will pay a fine of not exceeding N100,000 and six-month imprisonment either the fine or imprisonment or both.

    “And if a company employs somebody who is not a safety professional to be in charge of safety-critical responsibility, the law says such a company will pay a minimum of N500,000 which means they can even pay N20m or M100m depending on imprisonment to whom it may concern. 

    “A lot of companies do not have safety officers. All the supermarkets, churches, hospitals, all public and private schools are supposed to have safety units. In July 2022, there was a circular from the head of the service of the federation that every ministry, parastatal or agency of government must have a safety desk, so we have started in earnest to enforce safety compliance, it’s a nationwide thing”. 

    While noting that the government that is supposed to partner with the organization is not doing so, the president used the opportunity to call on governments at various levels to partner with ISPON to enforce their political agenda of youth employment.

    He explained that the reason why the organization decided to start the launch in Akwa Ibom is because of the ARISE agenda of Governor Umo Eno, adding that, “It’s easier to keep a vehicle that is in motion moving than to move a vehicle that is static.”

    Speaking on the challenges of the organization, Iwuagwu lamented that the greatest challenge that had constituted a cog in the wheel of the organization was the leadership crisis that engulfed the organization at its inception. 

    He said while some progressive-minded members were working for the progress of the organization other evil-minded persons were bent on sowing seeds of disunity and destabilization, adding that it took the organization a long time to get over the leadership crisis. 

    The 2024 World Day for Safety and Health was commemorated with a public lecture on “The challenge of Climate Change on Occupational Safety and Health delivered by Professor Comfort Etok of the University of Uyo and the impact of Institutional Safety —-The Akwa Ibom State experience delivered by Engr. Dr Anthony Akadi.

  • ISPON: trust killing local software industry

    The major obstacle to the acceptance of local software is the absence of trust, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) has said.

    Its President, Yele Okeremi, who spoke on the sidelines of the handover of the office to him by the former President, Olorogun James Emadoye, said the group under his leadership, would work hard to build trust in the quality of locally written applications.

    According to him, the software industry in Nigeriahas evolved and has grown, adding that the timw has come for practioners in the industry to have have themselves.

    Okeremi promised to work hard to dispel the lies and celebrate the many feats local applications have acheived.

    He said: “Yes, we do not say we know everything; our doors are open to partnerships.”

    He said since the real wealth of any nation is her reservoir of human capital, the group would work to build internal capacity of members, ensure they see software as a business, adding that the issue of patent would occupy front burners of discourse.

    Okeremi said any country that aspires to be great must prioritise the development of her manpower.

    He said he would continue to build on the legacy of hardwork, selflessness and commitment to the cause of developing the local software industry which he inherited from the former presidents of the group.

    He lamented that practitioners in the information technology (IT) space are hardly recognised in the country because they are neither into oil business nor into stealing public funds.

    According to him, IT firms, such as Oracle and Microsoft have shaped human history through innovation.

    Also, Emadoye said Nigeria must stop consuming what does not produce.

    According to him, patronage of local software is the way to go if the billions of naira lost yearly to capital flight as a result of using offshore must be stopped.

  • Ag. President, minister urged to probe fraud in ISPON

    Ag. President, minister urged to probe fraud in ISPON

    A group of concerned Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) practitioners has urged the Federal Government to wade into the ongoing crisis tearing apart the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) – a government-backed advisory body on occupational health and safety matters.

    The concerned HSE practitioners, under the banner of Safety Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (SAEF), called for the probe of the Institute in their open letter titled: Safety family torn apart: Room for accidents, addressed to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

    Describing the crisis as “unhealthy, unsafe and unprofessional leadership”, the HSE professionals, said the country’s recorded success in occupational health and safety regulation could be eroded if the leadership tussle within the Institute was allowed to fester.

    They alleged that ISPON leadership was enmeshed in graft and embezzlement, which, they said, was the major reason the Institute’s Governing Board was factionalised. The HSE professionals said corruption had been institutionalised in the apex health and safety body, resulting in professional misconducts and bitter struggle for positions among ISPON leaders.

    They urged full audit of ISPON’s accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while calling on the Minister for Labour and Employment address the leadership crisis rocking the Institute.

    A statement signed by SAEF National Coordinator, Mr Kadiri Shamusideen, Executive Director for Programmes, Mr Dapo Omolade, and Executive Director for Strategies, Mr Jamiu Badmos, reads: “ISPON is presently enmeshed in unhealthy, unsafe and unprofessional leadership tussle which, if not resolved on time, could lead to several unpalatable events that could have been prevented by a visionary and result-oriented leadership.

    The professional body that is meant to save lives and properties, but it is now being factionalised with two Governing Boards that resulted from over seven different court cases.

    “The national leadership of ISPON has been on the path of a selfish, egoistic and meaningless war, accusations and counter accusations on tenure elongation, financial misappropriation, and lack of financial stewardship in all the branches.

    “We also observed irregularities in the running of the Lagos State Branch of the Institute, where members rejected the chairman based on poor accountability and dictatorial leadership. The chairman has been the only executive member since October 7, 2016 and he has not called for any branch meeting, but keep himself busy by organising unapproved training.

    “In the light of the foregoing, we humbly plead with the Acting President, and Minister of Labour and Employment to intervene in the ISPON leadership crisis and reposition it to perform its responsibilities in line with its establishment Act 2014.
     
    “We call for the freezing all ISPON’s bank accounts and retrieve the past audited accounts and direct the EFCC to investigate all the financial dealings of the national body and state branches. We want the prosecution of all the leaders (both national and branches) found culpable of any financial fraud, misappropriation, corrupt practices and other crimes.”

  • Group urges FG to probe ISPON fraud

    A group of concerned Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) practitioners has urged the Federal Government to wade into the ongoing crisis tearing apart the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) – a government-backed advisory body on occupational health and safety matters.

    The concerned HSE practitioners, under the banner of Safety Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (SAEF), called for the probe of the Institute in their open letter titled: Safety family torn apart: Room for accidents, addressed to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

    Describing the crisis as “unhealthy, unsafe and unprofessional leadership,” the HSE professionals said the country’s success in occupational health and safety regulation could be eroded if the leadership tussle within the Institute was allowed to fester.

    They alleged that ISPON leadership was enmeshed in graft and embezzlement, which, they said, was the major reason the Institute’s Governing Board was factionalised. The group said corruption had been institutionalised in the apex health and safety body, resulting in professional misconducts and bitter struggle for positions among ISPON leaders.

    In a statement signed by SAEF National Coordinator, Mr. Kadiri Shamusideen, Executive Director for Programmes, Mr. Dapo Omolade, and Executive Director for Strategies, Mr Jamiu Badmos, the HSE professionals urged full audit of ISPON’s accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and asked Ngige to address the leadership crisis rocking the Institute.

    A statement reads: “ISPON is presently enmeshed in unhealthy, unsafe and unprofessional leadership tussle which, if not resolved on time, could lead to several unpalatable events that could have been prevented by a visionary and result-oriented leadership.

    “The professional body that is meant to save lives and properties, but it is now being factionalised with two Governing Boards that resulted from over seven different court cases.

    “The national leadership of ISPON has been on the path of a selfish, egoistic and meaningless war, accusations and counter accusations on tenure elongation, financial misappropriation, and lack of financial stewardship in all the branches.

    “We also observed irregularities in the running of the Lagos State Branch of the Institute, where members rejected the chairman based on poor accountability and dictatorial leadership. The chairman has been the only executive member since October 7, 2016 and he has not called for any branch meeting, but keep himself busy by organising unapproved trainings.

    “In the light of the foregoing, we humbly plead with the Acting President, and Minister of Labour and Employment to intervene in the ISPON leadership crisis and reposition it to perform its responsibilities in line with its establishment Act 2014.

    “We call for the freezing all ISPON’s bank accounts and retrieve the past audited accounts and direct the EFCC to investigate all the financial dealings of the national body and state branches. We want the prosecution of all the leaders (both national and branches) found culpable of any financial fraud, misappropriation, corrupt practices and other crimes.”

  • ISPON seeks N100b bailout for software industry

    The President, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISON), Olorogun James Emadoye has advised the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the software sector. He also wants the government to establish a N100billion litmus package as bailout for what he called ‘Strategic National Software Development Ecosystem.’

    Emadoye who spoke during this year’s President’s Dinner with: Software as a tool for national transformation as theme, in Lagos,  said Nigeria is ripe for a strategic legislation on software if the country must change the tide that has turned it into a digital colony of the 21st century.

    He said: “You may have heard that the 2016 budget had well over N15billion provision for ‘Computer Software Acquisitions’.  ISPON was  excited when it came across this figure in the approved budget and took the initiative to inform Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the need to patronise software Nigeria in the real meaning of software Nigeria and not foreign software that are sold by installation and customising agents in Nigeria.  ISPON believes that such effort at the use of made-in-Nigeria software will create millions of jobs for Nigerians and set the country on the path of self-sufficiency in software.  “If 70 per cent of the over N15billion had been spent for software in Nigeria, the impact would have been felt in all facets of the economy – with ability to generate many billions of naira along the value chain.”

    He said Nigerians are smart people and should be able to serve their needs in software, earn foreign exchange from software sales and  conserve unnecessary wasteful spending of the scarce foreign exchange currently earned from oil. He added that the overall goal is increasing earnings and contributing at least, nine per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) from locally produced software products and services.

    “We therefore call on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to support, sustain and accelerate intervention in this sector by passing special legislation to ensure that all MDA use locally produce software for all their computerisations efforts; ensuring that NOTAP (National Office for Technology Acquisition & Promotion) work and collaborate with NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency) and ISPON before approving software payment from our scarce dollar resources; ensuring that CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) collaborate with NITDA and ISPON before allowing transfer for all software purchases,” he said.

    Others are ensuring that 30 per cent of all software payment for foreign products approved for payment through the collaboration of NITDA, ISPON, CBN and NOTAP is retained in Nigeria for the development of local capacity in Nigeria; .mandating the Bank of Industry (BoI) to expedite actions to establish the N5billion Software Development Fund of which ISPON has already submitted position paper and start disbursing to deserving companies and software producers immediately for the development of the sector; and mandating all the telcos, through Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to make available to software producers codes, Application Programming Interface (API) and other programmes for building software for the telcoms industry.

     

  • ISPON to banks: invest in tech start-ups

    The umbrella body for indigenous software companies in the country, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), has urged Nigerian lenders to emulate their foreign counterparts by investing in technology startups.

    As technology startups increasingly penetrate traditional banking segments, including payments, wealth management and billing, major global banking giants are not sitting on the sidelines. Six major American banks – Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo – have made strategic investments in 30 technology companies since 2009, according to data from CB Insights.

    A statement endorsed by its President, Pius Okigbo, praised the banks for their foresights in funding various tech startups in the 1990s and 2000s such as Interswitch, ValuCard (Unified Payments Limited), ATMC, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), Credit Registry and CRC Credit Bureau, all financed by various consortia of Nigerian banks.

    ISPON suggested that a second wave of investments in tech startups would require the establishment of Special Purpose Vehicles [SPVs] following global precedents, as was the case with Citi Bank that incorporated Citigroup Venture Capital business through which it invested in i-Flex Solutions Limited, driving the “FLEXCUBE’ suite of products to adoption by more than 100 financial institutions in over 40 countries.

    Out of the six banks, he added, Citigroup has been the most active primarily through its Citi Ventures, which has invested in fintech startups ranging from Betterment, Jumio and Square. Goldman Sachs has already ventured into fintech startup with thematic investments across payments technology and big data finance.

    ISPON urged the banks to study how Deutsche Bank is building a strong ecosystem for innovations and take a lesson from it. Deutsche Bank would open three innovation laboratories in Berlin, London and Silicon Valley, as part of a EUR1 billion spend on digital initiatives over the next five years.

    According to him, the giant German bank would help the organisation to develop new products and services from three global tech hubs, strengthening its ability to innovate and deepening relationships with smart tech startups.

    He said: “Nigerian banks should take advantage of the huge innovation awakening that is sweeping across Africa and particularly Nigeria to refocus their plans and place their bets on fintech startups. It is particularly sad that no bank is participating in DEMO Africa, a flagship launch pad for emerging technology and trend hosted in Lagos in 2014.  Many venture capitalists from around the world were present.”

    Okigbo said DEMO Africa has already released a list of 30 technology start-ups from across Africa that will pitch at this year’s edition of the event.

    Topping the list of the technology startups with eight representatives is Nigeria and followed by Kenya with six. South Africa is third with three representatives while Ghana, Egypt, Cameroon and Zimbabwe each have two. Uganda, Tanzania and newcomer, Ivory Coast has one start-up each.

    The presence of Ivory Coast on the list of giants is “a strong signal that more African nations are warming up” to the ability of the continent to craft own solutions to various needs.

    The highest represented category on the 2015 list is finance and banking with eight products. Other categories are education, transport and logistics, retail, communication and media and entertainment. “We expect Nigerian banks at the Demo Africa 2015. There is no better opportunity for the banks to cherry pick the nascent tech startups they can place their bets,” he said.