Lagos saves N99.27bn, loses N16.62bn property to fire in 1yr

*Four new fire stations to be built

The Lagos State government says it was able, through its emergency and safety response units, save properties estimated at N99.27 billion in the last one year, while an estimated N16.62 billion worth of property was lost to inferno within the same period.

Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-governmental Relations in the state, Hon. Oluseye Oladejo, made this declaration on Thursday in Alausa, Ikeja, during this year’s ministerial press briefing in commemoration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s second year in office.

According to him, the ministry, being a safety and disaster manager, in the last one year had ensured improvement of response time to emergencies in the state. He added that speed boats had also been deployed to monitor the waterways, in a bid to curb increasing crime in that terrain.

“Regarding how much was lost to fire outbreak in the last one year, I can say that it is estimated that a total of N99.27 billion was saved as a result of our prompt response to these incidents while an estimated amount of N16.62 billion was lost to other fire incidents across the state within the same period.

“We’re doing everything possible to ensure that response to these incidents continually improve. On securing the waterways, speed boats had been deployed to monitor the area so as to forestall any eventuality and check the various incidents along that terrain,” he said.

Oladejo said four new fire stations would be constructed across the state in Bolade-Oshodi, Olorunda-Badagry, Eredo-Epe and Ijede-Ikorodu. This, he stated, was geared toward ensuring that safety services and response to incidents of fire outbreak was swift and taken closer to the people.

On the disturbing issue of recorded accidents involving fuel tankers and articulated vehicles on roads, he was of the opinion that his ministry had continued to engage the drivers and their association in dialogue and enhanced advocacy, saying that no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that such incidents came to an end.

The Commissioner added that, unlike what had been alluded to in some quarters, the constitution of the rebranded Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps was very transparent. He said recruitment was based on physical, mental and health fitness, among other requirements.

Oladejo said to avoid the corps and recruitment procedure being hijacked, a competent Deputy Inspector General of Police was put at its helm.

He said 40 per cent of the present corps as constituted were those recruited from the previous Neighbourhood Watch. He added that Close Circuit Television Cameras had been installed across the state to curb crime, as has been demonstrated by men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).