LASG To Deal With Attackers Of Emergency Responders

Lagos State Government has vowed to henceforth deal ruthlessly with people who attacked state emergency responders during disaster or emergency situation in the state.

Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Dr. Wale Ahmed issued out this warning at a Retreat for officers of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, held in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria recently.

He said it was disheartening that people at the incidence scene would attack emergency responders in uniform simply because they did not come on time or even lynched officers, saying that was not acceptable.

“We will henceforth deal with people assaulting government officials,” he said, while also bemoaning the huge crowd that normally throng disaster scenes, thus hindering the rescue operation.

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He said if people expected quick response, they must give way for emergency responders to respond on time during emergency cases.

Ahmed also called for synergy between LASEMA and other emergency responders for seamless operation and effectiveness.

Director-General, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the theme of the retreat, which is “LASEMA’s Expectations and Challenges, Working better Together,” was very auspicious and provided a much-needed platform to reiterate the obvious need for a reinforced partnership and better cohesion within members of staff and between all stakeholders involved in the emergency management services of Lagos State.

“Cohesion among staff is very key to achieving all-round success by LASEMA with its staff strength of less than one hundred and fifty personnel providing extremely sensitive and crucial, life-saving services to an estimated Lagos population of over 23.5 million people. This means its staff must not only be well trained with skills horned to the nines for optimal performance, “LASEMA staff must as a matter of survival, be well bonded to think and act as ONE especially during operations knowing that during emergencies, every second counts.

“It therefore suffices to say that this summit, will afford us an opportunity of in-depth review and plan for all the various Departments, Units as well as all staff of LASEMA, to strengthen our collective roles in the prevention, preparedness, management, mitigation, response and recovery in emergencies and disasters such as incessant collapsed buildings, road traffic, and articulated vehicles accidents, flooding, fire outbreaks and a host of other man-made disasters in the State since emergencies and disasters by nature are unforeseen and sudden occurrences with inflicted knock-backs that are usually deadly, devastating and terrible psycho-physical effects on the afflicted areas and it’s residents,” he explained.

Oke-Osanyintolu said there was therefore an urgent need to achieve maximum cohesion among staff for optimal performance despite all extraneous challenges by “Working Better Together” to achieve a lean, fast and effective emergency management agency.