…Records 1,382,000 major disasters in ’22
…Releases 2023 strategic plans

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has decried what it called lackadaisical attitude of some residents for constituting hindrance to accessing emergency scenes in the state.

Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, stated this at a news conference, at Alausa, Ikeja, while giving highlights on the achievements of the agency in 2022 and strategic plans for 2023.

Oke-Osanyintolu, who stated that about 1,382, 000 major disasters were recorded last year, however, expressed satisfaction that the fatality rate was very low compared to previous years.

“We recorded 1,382, 000 major disasters were recorded in 2022, , 1,743, in 2021, 1,430 in 2020, and 1,029 in 2019,” Oke-Osanyitolu stated.

He noted that the feats were achieved due to the sophisticated equipments put in place by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu’s administration with the team spirit of all emergency responders in the state.

The LASEMA boss, who promised to ensure that the golden response hour is reduced to five to 10 minutes this year, appealed to residents to have attitudinal change towards disaster and emergency management at the grassroots.

Oke-Osanyintolu, assured that the agency would build more human capacity among all emergency responders to reduce mortality rate to the barest minimum during emergencies.

LASEMA boss added that a new emergency control center will soon be built in the Badagry axis of the state before the end of this year.

“If you are looking at this disasters, the mortality and mobidity that associated with these disasters have greatly reduced.

“We now have a lot of manpower and also we now use powerful equipments, and the most important thing we work together as a team. So the good people of Lagos State are enjoying the tax they pay.

“In Lagos State all hands are on deck.
All the major hospitals in Lagos State been directed to operate advanced ambulances and we have all these ambulances positioned in all Lagos State. We now have different types of equipments for operations in the state.

“We have 30 major advanced ambulances as well as eight sophisticated ambulances with Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA.

“We are working with social agencies and other private organizations to achieve effective operations.

“The major problem we are facing is the lackaidaisical attitude of our people. Our people need to change there attitude in terms of disaster.

“They will not allow us do our job seamlessly. You will see a street, locking there gate by 10.pm and when there is emergency there is no way to go in.

“We we will have to stand at the gate shouting for residents to open the gate. People need to stay with the rules and regulations.

“Also, miscreants, hold our rescue team to ransom, demanding certain amount of money before allowing them access to disaster scene. This is unacceptable moving forward.

“Emergency is local and we want everyone in Lagos State to know that emergency and disaster management is everyone’s business.

“In moving forward in 2023, we want to ensure that our people, residents, will response to emergency before our people get there. That is why we are setting up effective local emergency committee to respond quickly and effective to emergencies at the grassroots and ensure that response to emergency is achieved within 5 to 10 minutes.

“We are also planning to set up emergency trust fund which will be launched by Govermor Sanwo-Olu.”