31st July, 2019
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday said there is need to rejig the operation of the State’s emergency response team for better performance and service delivery in disaster management.
The Governor, who spoke during his visit to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) operational headquarters at Cappa, Oshodi, praised the emergency response personnel for the quality of service the agency rendered, saying that there was need to raise the standards of its operation in line with best practice. He pledged that his administration would support the agency to deliver on its mandate.
He said: “On behalf of the people of Lagos, I commend LASEMA and its emergency workers’ performance in disaster management. But, we know there is still a lot that we can do to raise the standard and there is still a lot that is expected of us but I can assure you that we will support LASEMA for quality service.
“This is why we are here to assess the level of response mechanism and take stock of the challenges the agency might be facing. We do not want to give excuses to the taxpayers. We pledge our continued support to encourage the agency to live up to expectations, because its efficiency in service delivery would be the parameter citizens would use to assess and write the agency scorecards.”
The governor emphasised the need for maintaining professionalism and empathy in the discharge of the agency’s duty, noting that disaster management required promptness and competency to minimise losses.
Sanwo-Olu tasked the emergency workers to work towards reducing their response time by half. He said the government would address the resource gap hindering the agency from taking its service to optimal level.
He said: “LASEMA needs to raise its escalation level in managing emergencies. If it gets to the level where we need additional support from other agencies, such police, fire fighters, or any arm of government, we must be able to quickly be able to analyse the situation and be able to escalate it to another level, so that we can reduce losses to lives and property. Lagos is a centre of excellence and we must live up to billing by putting forward the best rescue operation.”
LASEMA’s Director General, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, led Governor Sanwo-Olu on an inspection of the equipment used by the agency in its emergency operations. The Governor also inspected the state of facilities in LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) in Alausa.
In the Governor’s entourage were the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji; Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Ayinde and Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Gboyega Soyannwo