Lagos State government has warned residents of the state against indiscriminate handling and storage of combustible items in their homes.
The state’s Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Olugbenga Oyerinde and Director-General, Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, gave the warning, at the weekend, saying that the state has renewed its commitment to safety of lives of its citizenry.
Oyerinde said it had become imperative to alert the public on the need to be more safety conscious; hence the risks inherent in transporting and handling combustible items, fuels, chemicals and other dangerous goods are huge, leading to quantum loss of lives, property and litigations.
Mojola, in his remarks, said the value of lives could not be quantified.
He disclosed that the commission had commenced a ‘Safety For You’ campaign aimed at making safety a priority for every Lagosian.
This campaign, according to him, will focus on raising awareness and encouraging proactive safety measures in personal, occupational and business contexts.
He, however, urged artisans and tradesmen to seek professional advice on handling combustible goods as well as moving them from one location to another within the state.
He admonished the public to report stockpiles of any form of dangerous goods to 07000SAFETY or the nearest security agencies.
SIMILARLY, the state government has banned the use and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the state with immediate effect.
The state’s Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who disclosed this, yesterday, in a statement he personally signed, said the decision was reached following the menace, which the single-use plastics, especially the non-biodegradable Styrofoam, was causing on the environment.
According to him, most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged up by styrofoam through its indiscriminate distribution and usage despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains.
He reiterated that the larger chunk of littering across major roads and markets, which the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) contends with daily, is made up of Styrofoam.
The commissioner added that the state could not fold its hands and watch the continued desecration of its environment, especially for a coastal city.
Wahab said he had directed LAWMA and the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) agency to immediately commence implementation of the ban.
He urged the two agencies to clamp down on all the production companies and distribution outlets for Styrofoam in the state to prevent further distribution.
