The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) has called for the appointment and deployment of fire and safety officials to all markets in Lagos State.
The Institute said such steps would help mitigate in the future, the huge loss that is usually recorded at the markets anytime there is fire outbreak.
The Chairman ISPON, Lagos State Branch Engr Timothy Iwuagwu, who spoke exclusively to our Correspondent on the heels of the Balogun, Lagos Island, fire incident on Tuesday, said the Lagos State Government should consider taking safety awareness especially prevention of fire outbreaks to all the markets in the state.
The fire which was said to have started at about 8.30 am on Tuesday burnt ferociously until the early hours of Wednesday.
He said the incessant cases of fire outbreaks in markets across many states of the country is worrisome and embarrassing.
He said if we as citizens has taken more time to
“This is so, considering the level of emancipation our urban dwellers have attained and the almost total lack of fire safety awareness information available in the public domain,” he said.
Iwuagwu, noted that the time had come for proper audits of all markets in the state, in order for the government to come up with a holistic approach that would address their peculiar situation and ensure that all trading there are abreast with safety tips on sundry issues, including the outbreak of fire incidents.
“It is becoming increasingly obvious that the structure of our markets and market administration need serious and deliberate review and overhaul to incorporate the appointment of market health and safety officers with visible and well spelt out roles consistent with the size, activities, proximity to emergency first responder facility, complexity, waste collection and regular disposal, physical layout and corridor for emergency responders; health and sanitary facilities, as well as provisions for public conveniences within the market complex.
“Whatever rules and regulations we may put in place can only be as good as the implementation and enforcement of such rules. “The government can create employment opportunities for Professionals and young graduates from this,” he said.