The Ogun State Government has urged industries operating in the state to strengthen workplace safety, risk management and industrial resilience, warning that economic growth cannot be sustained without a strong culture of compliance, accident prevention and environmental protection.

The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, made the call yesterday while declaring open a training workshop for safety personnel in Abeokuta.

The workshop, themed “Industrial Resilience and Safety Governance: Building a Culture of Compliance, Prevention and Sustainable Growth,” brought together safety professionals from industries across the state to discuss strategies for improving workplace safety and emergency preparedness.

Oresanya said Ogun’s status as one of Nigeria’s leading industrial hubs has attracted substantial local and foreign investments, creating jobs and driving economic growth.

However, he stressed that rapid industrialisation must be matched by stronger safety systems to protect workers, host communities and investments.

“Economic growth without safety is unsustainable, while development without resilience is vulnerable,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring that industrial progress is accompanied by robust public safety measures.

He disclosed that recent inspections, facility assessments and preliminary safety audits conducted by the Ministry of Environment revealed a significant gap between documented safety policies and their implementation.

According to him, many organisations have safety manuals but fail to embed safe practices into their daily operations.

“Our findings show that risks are often managed only after incidents occur rather than being prevented through proactive planning. This reality demands a new approach to industrial safety,” he said.

To address the challenge, Oresanya unveiled the Ministry’s 2026–2028 Strategic Safety Transformation Agenda, designed to promote continuous risk assessment, proactive leadership, competent safety personnel and measurable safety performance across industries.

He also announced plans to upgrade the existing Safety Office into a full-fledged Ogun State Safety Commission to strengthen policy implementation, technical oversight, enforcement and collaboration with industry stakeholders.

In addition, the commissioner unveiled a Statewide Industrial Safety Audit Programme, describing it as a diagnostic and improvement initiative rather than a punitive exercise.

He said the programme would establish measurable safety benchmarks, identify emerging risks before they lead to accidents and help industries improve operational resilience.

Oresanya expressed confidence that the initiative would encourage industries to make safety a key performance indicator alongside production, quality and profitability.

He urged participants to use the workshop to deepen their knowledge of strategic safety governance, applied risk engineering, incident investigation and safety improvement planning.

He emphasised that ensuring workplace safety is a shared responsibility, noting that government, employers, workers and safety professionals must work together to prevent accidents and promote sustainable industrial growth.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr Kafayat Lawal, represented by the Director of Environmental Quality Control, Water Regulatory, Enforcement and Advocacy, Mr Kayode Akinwande, described the workshop as another milestone in Ogun State’s commitment to safer industries and healthier workplaces.

Lawal said recent inspections had underscored the need for stronger safety management systems, improved emergency preparedness and a more proactive safety culture across industries.

She added that the training forms part of the ministry’s 2026–2028 strategic vision to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance regulatory effectiveness and improve industrial resilience.

She urged participants to maximise the opportunity provided by the training and partner with the government in sustaining Ogun State’s reputation as a leading destination for responsible industrial development, environmental sustainability and public safety.