The Lagos State Government, through the Safety Commission and the Fire and Rescue Service, has initiated a public information campaign on fire prevention in markets across the state.
The Director General of the Lagos State Security Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, while speaking on Tuesday after the hoisting of the flag at Jankara Market, Lagos Island, said the promotional campaign was aimed at preventing fire incidents in markets during the current harmattan season and as residents prepare. to celebrate the end of the year.
Mojola, who acknowledged that most markets in the state were complying with the state government's safety directives, said lighting must continue to reduce fire incidents to the bare minimum.
He stressed the need for traders in the market to be safety conscious and aware of their surroundings to avoid fire disasters.
“Today's information campaign is about fire safety and you are all aware that the harmattan season has arrived and harmattan carries additional risks when it comes to fires. It is very dry and there is a greater chance that we will have fire.
“So the message is that they must be careful when carrying out their activities. Carelessness is a big problem, because carelessness and human errors are the main causes of fires,” he said.
Mojola maintained that in addition, the campaign teams were talking to traders about the importance of staying safe and complying with all safety rules and eliminating all prominent activities that can create dangers in the markets, such as smoking, cooking stoves and sale of gasoline in the markets.
“We identified that there are people still selling petroleum products in the markets and we are using this public information to work with market leaders to ensure these flammable items are removed.
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“And beyond that, we are also communicating directly with fire safety managers to explain how to put out the fire, should it occur, as well as to train them in the use of fire extinguishers and on the need to have fire detectors . in their stores, in case a fire breaks out, they put it out before it becomes a big incident,” Mojola said.
Also speaking, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, said the information campaign was aimed at educating the general public, particularly market traders, to understand the advice fire safety on the market.
Adeseye recalled that in recent years, the state recorded a large number of fire incidents in markets, highlighting that 75 percent of the fires were the result of carelessness, which prompted the initiative to sensitize traders to avoid loss of lives and property through preventable fire incidents.
“What happened in April this year, where more than 20 houses were burnt, was a result of carelessness and from April until now, fire incidents in the markets have been 0.1 percent compared to what we used to have. So there is a level of compliance, but the government wants 100 percent compliance.
We want a safe Lagos and a state free of fire incidents and that is why we are here to remind you that sleeping in markets is not allowed, the use of camping gas for cooking should be discouraged and overloading should be discouraged. electrical outlets, while markets must ensure They talk about fire safety awareness during market meetings,” he said.
Chairman of Jankara Market Wristwatch Sellers Association, Mr. Abdul Rahman Yusuf, thanked the state government through the Security Commission and Fire Service for constantly bringing incident prevention promotional campaigns to the market. of fire.
Yusuf expressed his strong support for government policies aimed at preventing fires in the markets and assured that traders in the markets will continue to comply with all preventive safety measures at all times.
Apart from Jankara market, the promotion team will also visit Balogun, Dosunmu Ereko, Saabo, Mile 12, Ojuwoye, Tejuosho, Boundary Alaba International, Iyana Iba and Okokomaiko markets.