Yuletide: Lagos Urges Residents To Be Safety Conscious

Lagos State government has urged residents and visitors coming into state to be safety conscious during the festive season.

The Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola who made the plea while speaking with journalists at the weekend in Lagos said the state government was really passionate about the safety of its residents.

He advised fun seekers to be aware of emergency exits and muster points and drink responsibly as they attend large events or concerts.

Mojola said, ‘’Furthermore, it is important to not leave drinks for consumption out of sight to guard against spiking. Spiking occurs when someone deliberately introduces drugs or alcohol content into your drink without your knowledge to enable them alter the content usually with the aim of carrying out negative motives.

‘’Overcrowded spaces should be avoided and reported immediately to the authorities. This is to guard against a stampede should the risk crystalise.’’

The Director-General, further disclosed that the Commission’s safety guideline stipulates that event organisers and event venue owners are to register events above 250 guests with the Lagos State Safety Commission through its registration portal for the issuance of an Event Safety Permit.

‘’It is also pertinent that adequate crowd control and emergency evacuation plans must be put in place for large events and concerts, while safety briefings are recommended at all events to create awareness on hazard identification and controls  at intervals, particularly for large events and concerts.

The safety briefings can be anchored by certified safety marshals who are conversant with the floor plan and layout of the facility.

‘’To further buttress the need for safety, the number of guests must not exceed the occupancy limit that has been assigned to any event venue or facility.’’

The DG who urged the residents to report infractions to the commission, added that the decision to proceed, restrict, modify, postpone or cancel an event after a thorough risk assessment and submission of relevant safety documentations solely lies with the state government.