The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Safety

  • Council, motorcyclists brainstorm on safety

    Council, motorcyclists brainstorm on safety

    The Executive Secretary of Badagry West Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Hon Joseph A. Agoro has said that despite some negative impressions resulting from some untoward behaviour of motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada, their immense contributions to the socio-economic development of the society cannot be overlooked.

    Hon. Agoro spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the council’s secretariat on Friday. The meeting was organised with a view to ensuring that motorcycle operations, especially in the council area are devoid of the usual skirmishes.

    He noted that okada riders are significant contributors to economic growth and development of the society, even as he added that their somewhat awkward behaviours tend to rob them of such significance.

    Describing them as gap-fillers, Hon. Agoro noted that the crumbling of public intra-city transport system and poor road network paved way for the ingenious introduction of motorcycle transport system as means of public transportation in Nigeria.

    He added that it is patronised by the low and mighty because of the advantages it has over taxis and buses. Its use for commercial purposes has impacted significantly on the economy and society.

    The council chief revealed that the stakeholders’ meeting with okada riders aimed at fashioning a better way of doing the business of motorcycle operation devoid of the usual problems engendered by the operators.

    “The essence of this meeting is to ensure a peaceful relationship between okada riders and other road users in Badagry West Local Council Development Area.

    The increase in crime has been linked with the influx of okada riders, particularly in the cities closer to the border. The criminal activities by okada riders range from theft of purses and mobile phones to abduction, grand larceny and even politically-motivated murder.

    “It is pertinent to maintain some standard in order to reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from careless operation of motorcycles. Apart from other factors such as overloading, speeding, indulgence in alcohol and lack of training in safety matters, among others, there have also been incidents of gang beating, during which okada riders had attacked motorists as a result of minor traffic accidents involving both parties.

    “There had been serious clashes involving okada riders and other road users. Some of these clashes, sometimes, escalate into riots during which vehicles were set ablaze,” he said. Continuing, he said: “There is no secrecy about what is needed to be done to keep okada riders safe. I, therefore, call on all stakeholders who gathered here today to brainstorm on how best to make motorcycle operation less dangerous and less life-threatening in the council area as we experience it currently.

    “In this respect, I therefore advise all motorcycle operators to be of good behaviour, show respect to security agents and also to be law-abiding citizens. In case of any misunderstanding, do not take the laws into your own hands; report to the council for redress. We will always attend to your needs.”

  • Govt urged to improve food safety standards

    A call has been made to the government to work with operators in the livestock meat processing sector to improve food safety standards.

    Deputy Director, Directorate of General Management, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), Dr. Ademola Adeyemo, said there was need for private enterprises in the meat sub-sector to to improve food safety.

    He urged the government to strengthen regulations to ensure the private sector changes its working practices to ensure food safety and that the meat industry take more responsibility to  ensure  public  safety.

    According to him, operators were focusing on profit, adding that it is time food safety takes a more prominent place.

    He  said there should be    programme to make food business and their employees  aware that the products  meant for consumers’ plates should  be  free  from  elements  which  nurture  the  spread of diseases and ensure safety of the products.

    He said quality   assurance schemes should help not only to raise awareness of safety, they hygiene but also food fraud.

    Adeyemo called for incentives for businesses to encourage cooperation on food safety and for the industry to correct a business that takes irresponsible risks.

    He urged health authorities to pay more attention to tackling food fraud, urging the  strengthening   of meat and livestock inspection and supervision.

  • FAAN passes safety audit

    FAAN passes safety audit

    Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) workers have been hailed for enabling its authority to score “93.3 per cent” during the just concluded Aviation Security Audit.

    FAAN’s Managing Director Saleh Dunoma gave the commendation during an interaction with airport operators in Lagos.

    The Airport Excellence (APEX) in safety audit was conducted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Dunoma said he invited the Airport Council International (ACI) in line with the authority’s mandate for a safe and secured airport environment.

  • ‘Be fire safety conscious’

    ‘Be fire safety conscious’

    Nigerians have been urged to be fire safety conscious to prevent loss of lives and property.

    A fire safety expert, Mr Franklin Akinmokun, gave the charge at the International Bio-medicals Laboratory Science Day organised by the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos State branch. The theme was: “Safety starts with you: patient safety first.”

    He said despite precautionary measures, fire still occurs, adding: “Time is of the essence in fire prevention.”

    Besides, people must have necessary equipment, such as fire extinguishers in their cars, homes and workplaces, among others to quell fire.

    They should have fire stations’ telephone numbers in case of an emergency, he added.

    Akinmokun, a fire fighter with the Federal Fire Service (FFS), said fire does not kill but its smoke does.

    Moreover, it takes four minutes for people to stop breathing before they die.

    “Before people’s hearts stop beating, they can be saved by performing chest compression (CPR) to restart the heart or call emergency response team, such as ambulance services. People should learn safety tips, especially CPR. Fire fighters should be contacted as soon as possible when there is a fire to put it out,” he said.

    He identified fuel, heat and oxygen as the three elements of fire.

    Akinmokun said since fire safety concerns safety of lives, property and environment, people should install in their homes and offices smoke detectors to track fire as soon as it starts.

    Fire, he said, is the greatest threat to life and property.

    “Investment acquired in years can be razed within minutes if nothing is done fast to stop a fire,” he said.

  • ‘We must pray for air safety’

    The founding president of the African Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives, Rev Titus Oyeyemi, has appealed to Nigerians to continue to pray for air safety.

    Oyeyemi made the appeal at the 16th edition of the Nigerian Air Safety Prayer programme of the African Children of Peace Club at the Nigeria Airspace Management Authority and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Headquarters, Murtala Mohammed, International Airport Ikeja, Lagos.

    According to him, the place of regular prayer to God for airspace free of crashes cannot be over emphasised.

    He said that airspace safety was not just up to operators but must be the priority of all Nigerians, who must keep praying for safety.

    Oyeyemi said: “We need prayers to strengthen the world force, the unity, love and liberty in which members of the agencies are doing their work.

    “The fellowship and unity of the agencies is what God is using to demonstrate its own power for miracles, for safety and protection,” he said.

    Oyeyemi recalled that the prayer programme started as a response to rapid plane crashes between 2005 and 2007.

    “We are teaching the children how to pray, how to show respect to elders, for their teachers and for one another as well as showing them how to become good citizens – we are cultivating new constituencies of youth peace and nation builders.”

    The President of the NAMA Fellowship, Kayode Osho, lauded the efforts of the club in praying for air safety.

    “The aviation industry all around the world is going through serious turbulent times and when such things happens, it affect the psyche of the flying public, thus praying for air safety in the global airspace is very germane,” he said.

  • National food safety workshop ends

    National food safety workshop ends

    A four-day national training workshop on food safety supported by the United States Government, through its Agency for  International Development (USAID) has   ended  in Abuja.

    The training was organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. It follows the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Safety and the National Food Safety Management Committee by the Federal Government in January.

    USAID Mission Director in Nigeria, Michael Harvey said the training was part of the U.S. Government’s long-term effort to support the National  Food Safety Management Committee as it puts in place a strong food safety regime to boost Nigeria’s export market, as well as the agriculture sector. “We are pleased to have USAID and the US Department  of Agriculture work together with Nigerian counterparts to hold this workshop,” he said.

    The workshop involved case studies quality management systems, risk analysis, food safety modernisation act, and monitoring and evaluation procedures.

    The workshop’s participants represented th si geo-political zones.

    Since 2013, the U.S. Government, through USAID and the US Department of Agriculture, has worked with Nigerian food industry stakeholders in the public and private  sectors, and with development partners to revise the national food policy and develop an implementation strategy.

    These efforts have laid the foundation for the work of the recently inaugurated committees that are charged with ensuring that food safety systems  in Nigeria are on par with international best practices.

    Interventions supported by the US Government will improve food safety, thereby helping Nigerians avoid food-borne and food-related illnesses.

  • U.S to boost Nigeria’s food safety, export

    U.S to boost Nigeria’s food safety, export

    Nigeria’s effort to improve food safety and boost the export market is to enjoy the support of the U.S. Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID). A statement issued by the U.S. Embassy said the support aimed to drastically reduce food-borne and food-related illnesses in Nigeria.

    The statement said USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture had been working with the Nigerian food industry since 2013 to revise the national food policy. “Since 2013, the U.S. Government, through USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has worked with Nigerian food industry stakeholders in the public and private sectors, and with development partners.

    “The aim is to revise the national food policy and develop an implementation strategy. These efforts have laid the foundation for the work of the recently inaugurated committees charged with ensuring that food safety systems in Nigeria are on par with international best practices,” the statement said.

    It said the interventions supported by the U.S. Government would improve food safety, thereby helping Nigerians avoid food-borne and food-related illnesses. According to the U.S. Government, additional support to the ‘farm to table’ food production and processing value chain will ensure that Nigeria’s agricultural exports conform to international standards and food safety requirements.

    It said the ‘farm to table’ programme would also create more profitable agricultural entities and contribute to the diversification of the Nigerian economy. The statement said that a four-day national training on food safety, supported by the United States Government, was ongoing in Abuja.The training was organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. The statement quoted the USAID Mission Director in Nigeria, Dr Michael Harvey, as saying that the training is part of the U.S. Government’s long-term effort to support the National Food Safety

  • DG urges Nigerians on safety

    The Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC), Mrs. Dominga Omolara Odebunmi, has urged Nigerians to be safety conscious.

    Mrs. Odebunmi, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health, UK; Member, British Standard Institute (BSI-Global), Member, Institute of Food Science & Technology, UK (IFST) and Member, Institute of Occupational Health & Safety, UK (IOHS), said since it was established in July 2011, LSSC had ensured the safety of people at home, in the office, in school and everywhere.

    She said: “People do a lot of things injurious to their lives. To ensure that life and property are safe, we assist people to have a rethink on how they can avoid danger.

    “Our motto is: ‘Work Safe, Live Safe’. Our vision at the Lagos State Safety Commission is to proactively make safety the lifestyle of Nigerians and turn Lagos to a world-class city. Our mission is to develop policies and strategies that will build a sustainable safety culture through regulated and coordinated safety system.

    “Safety is about you and your neighbours. If the next person to you is vulnerable safety-wise, the vulnerability will eventually affect you. During an inferno, it is the smoke that easily kills victims. Many houses don’t even have smoke alarm. We’ve been educating people to have this.”

    The director-general said the commission reached out to the affluent, the middle class and the masses in the urban areas and at the grassroots in its campaign of safety consciousness, adding: “We are working to attract investors to Lagos State.”

    She noted that it used English language and local dialects during campaigns to spread safety messages.

    According to her, “we hold summits regularly to disseminate safety information to people. We work with the private and public sectors. We educate Nigerians on how to work safe, live safe, rescue themselves from danger and protect their environment from hazards, such as flood, erosion, road damage and so on. We also educate them to protect their health by eating nutritious food and living in a healthy environment.”

    Mrs. Odebunmi, the pioneer DG of LSSC, said the commission developed standards, guidelines and regulations updating policies, while maintaining links with MDAs, local governments/local council development areas, professionals and stakeholders.

    She added that initiatives, such as establishing safety champions in the public service, mandating the private sector to establish functional HSE department, construction/manufacturing summits, an intensive safety management initiative for school authorities, events and gatherings in public places, have contributed to achieving the set goals.

  • ‘Road safety is shared responsibility’

    ‘Road safety is shared responsibility’

    Motorists in the Idiroko Border have been advised to be safety conscious while driving.

    The Idiroko Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Commander David A. Irunoje, who gave the advice during a safety campaign  exercise organised by the command  at Iyana Ago Motor Park, Idiroko, Ogun State, said conscious driving will go a long way in ending incessant crashes on the roads.

    The theme of the campaign was “Road safety is a Shared Responsibility, it Depends on You and Me”

    He said safety on the road should be everybody’s business and should not be left for the agency alone, adding that road users should be observe road signs.

    He said accidents don’t just happen, they are caused; it is not bad luck, but bad driving habits that lead to the road crashes.

    He appealed to all road users to always observe safe driving measures and should not violate traffic rules and regulations.

    He warned road users against over-speeding, wrongful overtaken, driving under the influence of alcohol/drug, indiscriminate parking, poor vehicle maintenance and contending with smugglers, especially this Idiroko-Owode-Sango-Ota route or axis

    He urged drivers to always concentrate while on driving, noting that some drivers often engage in acts that distract their attention such as discussions with passengers, answering phone calls, eating, gesticulating, changing of radio station or cassette.

    The Ogun State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Adegoke Adetunji, implored all road users to heed the advice concerning culture on the use of the roads.

    He said accident happens on the road due to what we do or failed to do while driving.

     

  • Labour Ministry urges workers’ safety

    The Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity has charged employers of labour to make safety and health at work their watchword if they desire to have higher productivity.

    It restated its commitment to social dialogue for sustainable implementation of its mandates, adding that  it would ensure continuous auditing of the companies involved in inspection of lifting equipment and pressure vessels to sustain their capacities.

    Its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Clement Illoh in his keynote address at a forum in Lagos warned that no individual or corporate organisation shall be allowed to undermine the integrity and sovereignty of the nation through the sector.

    He said: “Following the success of this exercise, the ministry plans to evolve a collaborative standing committee of stakeholders, for sustainable and continuous improvement, beginning with the development of technical guidelines and codes of practice.”

    He noted that the workshop, second in the series of revalidation for third party competent persons for the statutory inspection of major plants in workplaces, represents another major intervention on the critical aspect of the mandates of the ministry that have faced some challenges in the recent times.

    He said: “This four-day exercise is directed at enhancing technical capacities of authorised inspectors and assessing their level of competence for purpose of revalidating existing certificate of competence and issuance of new ones. “Competency focus is in respect of statutory inspection of pressure vessels to address current challenges and keep in tune with international best practice.”

    In her address, the Director of Factories, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mrs. Nofisat Arogundade said the whole essence of the workshop was to standardise and sanitise the system having discovered that there were quacks in the practice who might have gotten their certificate through questionable means.