Following the frequency of road accidents in Lagos state, government has put all the state emergency responders on red alert to address the situation.

According to government, the recent accident at Agric area of Ikorodu claimed two lives, three critically injured and many others.

To this end, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency which is the coordinating agency for emergency responders is to brainstorm on reducing accident and carnages in the state.

Its Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu blamed accidents on human error and failure to adherence to traffic laws, saying the agency and other emergency stakeholders had strategised to ensure reduction and effectively tackle accidents in the state.

Dr Oke-Osanyintolu, said the synergy between the stakeholders would ensure effectiveness and provide confidence among the agencies during accidents.

He said this while giving his remarks at the stakeholders’ meeting, said the collaborations would enhance prompt intervention during accidents.

According to him, effective preparation requires close coordination among stakeholders, while effective coordination itself implies the understanding of stakeholders regarding each other’s roles before an emergency occurs, elements of command and control, communication, dispatches/deployment and a clear-cut incident command structure, saying all these give credence to a single-chain of command where roles and responsibilities of stakeholders are clearly defined before during and after emergency/disasters in the State”.

The LASEMA Boss said the agency was the umbrella body saddled with the task of coordinating the activities of relevant agencies in prevention and management of disasters in the State, as such it needs to solicit for necessary support from stakeholders to address accidents in Lagos state, saying Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was prioritising the adequate safety of lives and properties.

According to him, the meeting was geared towards building more collaboration and opportunities in increasing the capacity building of stakeholders which would serve as a solid foundation for effective and efficient emergency management.

The general manager said all over the world, surmounting emergencies took the collaborative efforts of relevant stakeholders on one hand, and the active support and collaboration of the grassroots, communities and the populace towards protection of lives and properties.

“Although, we are fully aware of the various challenges bordering on emergency management, confronting the state as a metropolitan and cosmopolitan city.

“The challenges which include high industrial concentration, exposure to more traffic accidents upon increased vehicular density, possibilities of floods, fire disaster and sundry others.

“As part of several measures to tackle these challenges, the repositioning of the Command and Control Centre, which is the nucleus where all emergency calls are activated.

“This will ensure that communication and coordination between responders are handled effectively, regardless of agencies affiliations or event types or size,” he added.

Osanyintolu said the Command and Control Centre had therefore, assisted the escalation of distress calls to appropriate agencies for prompt and effective interventions.

He noted that it also interfaced with those on the field of operation and the control room personnel for support and necessary deployment in response to most emergency cases.

According to him, the agency is also proposing capacity building to ensure that all its stakeholders become sufficiently sensitised and enlightened on issues of emergencies, disasters prevention, response and management.

Also, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu has confirmed the death of two people killed in an accident caused by a fallen container, saying the tragedy occurred in the early hours of today at Agric. Bus Stop, Ikorodu.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, two people died, three sustained major injuries and several others sustained minor injuries when a container fell on a Toyota Camry and three motorcycles.

He said investigations at the scene of the accident revealed that a truck with a twenty feet fully loaded container with unknown items, registration number LSD-611XU was on top speed, had a break failure, lost control and subsequently fell on the Toyota Camry with registration number FKJ-732FS and the three motorcycles.

He said the commodities recovered from the container had been bagged and handed over to the Police at Owutu Police Station, saying operation had been completed, adding that two other accidents occured in different areas of the state.