The Lagos State government has called on stakeholders in the event industry to establish a common ground on how to ensure safety at social and corporate events.
This comes as the State looks forward to the Yuletide season where it will play host to numerous public gatherings and the State is seeking hazard-free season.
The State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave this warning at a forum with Event Planners and Managers organised in conjunction with AQAATA Safety Company and other critical stakeholders in Lagos.
The Governor who spoke through his Special Adviser on Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende said that stakeholders in the industry must imbibe the spirit of safety.
“In today’s new normal, safety is now at the fore front as COVID 19 has opened the knowledge and understanding about the need to ensure Health and Safety checks and operational standard of the event industry.”
Safety of people is crucial to human development and growth and this time it becomes even more with the spate of fire, flooding incidents and other disasters.
The Governor also cautioned owners of event centers and planners in the State who consistently breach the safely rules and regulations to desist as they risk of being imprisoned.
According to him “Government is not lenient in the process of prosecuting offenders of event industry because we need to understand that change is something that people are not ready to imbibe.
And with a forum like this, we are assured that we will do more to ensure those who defiled the law will be corrected, taking the necessary steps in terms of fine, possibly imprisonment as the case may be, depending on the nature of the offence but you must be assured that the Lagos State government is doing alot to ensure that safety becomes a lifestyle.”
Forging collaboration
He however urged players in the industry to forge a cohesive working relationship and speak the same voice in order to galvanise development of the sector.
He said; “We have to come together to do the right thing. It is an Individual and collective efforts as no man is an island we must be able to speak the same language so that we can be on the same page at different event centers.”
“We do not want somebody leaving event center A to cut corners at even center B. If both centres are speaking the same language, then, we will have the same rules and regulations across board that will make it easier to regulate and it will make event centers and Lagos State a safer place to reside.”
He said the State would soon activate laws that would guide the activities of the sector.
Interesting conversation
The Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola explained that the conversation on safety is very interesting as it would allow stakeholders to fall on the path of doing the right thing particularly in this era of New Normal.
Mojola said that the idea is to see how the Commission can regulate the system and make the event planners place value on the lives of Lagosians and make them more safer.
He also added that the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has security and safety as part of its agenda and this emphasised the premium placed on safety by his Government.
According to him “With regards to Lagos, we have always been very proactive, safeguarding our people is the priority of this Government under the THEMES agenda, so there is no better time to have this conversation where we have all the operators to speak the truth to themselves and identify the problems and proffer solutions.”
“Some of the conversation and suggestions are important for us to help us create necessary regulatory framework and regulations and the laws to ensure that we can peacefully converge at events places, relax and go back safely.”
Mr Mojola hinted that Commission has been doing a lot of advocacy to enlightened the public about safety tips and would continue in that direction.
Security interface
In his address of welcome, An event specialist.and representative of AQAATA safety company, Mr. Edi Lawani emphasised the need for people to understand the interface between security and medics during events, stressing that the synergy between the two would assist to swiftly address emergency situation.
Creating Awareness
Some other participants at the event who spoke during panel sessions maintained that there are numerous challenges to organise social and corporate events but efforts must be geared towards creating awareness and educate the prospective clients on safety measures.
They also requested Government to regulate the industry and sanction any erring practitioners who violate the safety rules.
Lateefah Ibrahim
