• Underscores need for coordinated disaster management to halt damages, casualties
• Unveils Seyi Law as SEMA ambassador, to host road show confab

Lagos State Government has faulted comments by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, following his visit to the Trade Fair Complex, where some structures were recently demolished.

In a statement yesterday, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said Obi’s remarks amounted to “emotional theatrics” aimed at misleading the public through misinformation.

Obi, during his visit, had praised the traders for their restraint, insisting that the demolished buildings had approvals, describing the exercise as “a test of impunity, justice and compassion.”

But Omotoso dismissed the claims, stressing that none of the affected structures had valid approvals from the Lagos State Government.

According to him, the government had in 2023 declared a general amnesty for owners of unapproved buildings across the state, with several extensions granted, but the owners at the Trade Fair Complex failed to take advantage of the gesture.

“When Physical Planning officials visited the complex, the gates were locked against them and they were beaten up. The police had to rescue them. When the government invited the owners for talks, they bluntly refused to show up,” the commissioner explained.

He further clarified that the Board of the Trade Fair Complex, which is a creation of the Federal Government, lacked powers to grant building approvals or regulate physical development within the complex.

Omotoso emphasised that while the Trade Fair Complex Board could manage leases, tenancies, and commercial activities, construction or alteration of any structure still required approval from the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

“Otherwise, such developments are illegal and liable to demolition under state law. We must decide whether we want a society governed by law or one run by emotions, driven by political interests,” he concluded.

IN another development, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has commenced activities ahead of the 2025 State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) conference with a road show in Alausa, where senior officials and stakeholders underscored the importance of coordinated disaster management.

The event also featured the unveiling of comedian and social media personality Seyi Law as the SEMA Ambassador for 2025.

The road show, which began at the Command and Control Centre in Alausa Secretariat and ended at Johnson Jakande Tinubu (JJT) Park, served as the opening for the upcoming three-day conference.

It brought together representatives of emergency bodies across the national and state levels, alongside first responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Fire Service and LASEMA officials.

In his remark, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, emphasised that the summit was timely, given the frequency and scale of emergencies in Lagos.

He explained that while the event had long been in the pipeline, its realisation now was critical to strengthening preparedness and ensuring citizens recognised the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property.

Also, General Manager of the Lagos Command and Control Service, Femi Kennedy Giwa, commended the pivotal role of the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, in driving a coordinated emergency response system in Lagos, noting that the conference would unite critical stakeholders from across the federation to exchange ideas and strengthen collaborative approaches in disaster management.

Mrs Adenike Ogunkunle of the General Services Department, representing NEMA, stressed the agency’s ongoing collaboration with LASEMA.

She said the conference would provide an opportunity for state emergency officials nationwide to align strategies, while urging the public to adhere to guidelines designed to mitigate emergencies.

The Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor, Michael Akindele, highlighted the need to extend preparedness measures to the grassroots in the future.

Oke-Osanyintolu, therefore, assured Lagos residents that the state government had shown strong political will in prioritising disaster preparedness.