LASG REPOSITIONS EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES
…To Commission Three New Fire Stations, 62 Fire Trucks
Lagos State Government is set to make history in its emergency plans as the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be commissioning 62 newly procured fire trucks and unveiling three newly built fire stations across the State as well as renovated fire rescue stations.
The Special Adviser to Mr. Governor on Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, disclosed this during a Press Conference heralding a three-day epoch-making event designed to showcase some recent giant strides made by the Sanwo-Olu’s administration in addressing emergency issues in different parts of Lagos State.
He informed that the three-day event slated to hold between the 25th and 27th of October, 2022, will feature a symposium on its first day, where experts in emergency matters will gather to appraise the emergency activities of the State Government in order to identify challenges and also proffer a better way to manage and respond to emergency issues in Lagos State.
According to him, “On Wednesday, 26th of October, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu will be commissioning Ebute-Elefun Fire Station at Lagos Island and will virtually commission Oniru at Lekki and Ajeromi-Ifelodun at Apapa, Ajegunle simultaneously. While the upgraded fire rescue headquarters will also be commissioned”.
“The day two of the event will feature the commissioning of newly constructed fire stations and upgrading of the fire & rescue service headquarters in different parts of the State as well as the commissioning and handover of some fire trucks procured by his administration”, he stated.
Ogunlende disclosed that the need to increase the fleet of existing firefighting trucks and also enhance the capacity of officials of the State Fire and Rescue Service to quickly and swiftly respond to emergencies informed the procurement of 62 new firefighting trucks by the State Government.
He recalled that Mr. Governor recently granted approval for the recruitment of 435 additional firefighters as a way of increasing manpower and personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, stressing that the newly employed officers, who are now ready for deployment into various stations will also boost the staff strength of the fire agency and also strengthen the capacity of officers in responding to fire incidents.
Assuring Lagosians of improved response time to fire emergency scenes going forward, Ogunlende emphasised that the efforts by the present administration in the State, resonate with the Ministry’s Road Map and Master Plan designed in 2020 and 2021 respectively to scale up emergency response across the State and also provide a template for implementation of emergency programmes, plans and policies.
The Special Adviser disclosed that the content of the road maps has been implemented up to 75 percent, expressing hope of implementing the remaining provisions of the road map for Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, before the middle of next year.
Ogunlende also applauded the performance of LASEMA, affirming that the agency is living up to expectations in the area of 21st Century disaster management, which he said, needs a more concise plan and approach.
The Special Adviser lauded the efforts Governor Sanwo-Olu for being attentive to the plight of the citizens and for giving priority to issues of emergency response in the State.
Top officials present at the event include the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Sesan Ogundeko ; his counterpart in LASEMA, Dr. Femi Osanyintolu; Director-General, Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola and Director, Lagos State Fire & Rescue Services, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye.
TA/TMS/KO
