Published on December 26, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday visited the site of a fire incident triggered by the storage of firecrackers at the Ojo Giwa area of Jankara Market in Central Lagos, describing the incident a self inflicted tragedy.

Fashola, speaking to journalists, at the scene of Lagos fire[b]

The Governor who spoke with newsmen at the scene said: “We make rules, we break them. All of these items are under one form of prohibition or the other and we have men and women at our various entry and exit points”.

“How did they get in?, how did they enter?, who shipped them?, who imported them and who cleared them?. Who approved them to come in. Those are very serious issues. We must also ask ourselves, must we do every business?”, the Governor asked rhetorically.

The Governor reflected that the people must undertake a lot of soul searching and reflections on the choices they make as a people, asking; “the way we do business, does it benefit all of us or do we do business without consideration for other people’s safety as long as I make money?, I don’t care if people die, I don’t care if properties are burnt”.

He reiterated that in order to make quick business, lives have been lost, properties have been lost and all of the people are in danger.[/b]

Governor Fashola maintained that everyone must be involved in the soul searching process, underscoring that it must not be about the government alone. According to him, as the state government continues to ramp up capacities by equipping the fire service, equipping the emergency services, setting up a safety commission, the people must now choose how safely they want to live.

“There must be safety, environmental and health safety in everything that we do. We have had too many fires in the recent past and in spite of my appeals over the last two months that we are going into the dry season and that everyone must resist the temptation to keep inflammable materials in homes”, the Governor said.

The Governor revealed that two weeks ago, over a weekend of Saturday and Sunday , the Lagos State Fire Service responded to 22 fire distress calls, stressing that such number can be reduced through self -caution as the government cannot be in peoples’ homes to check who is storing fuel or explosives.

Governor Fashola said all citizens must now lead by showing some commitment to their own safety, by giving a commitment that: “I will keep petrol away from my house, I will keep explosives away from my house. I will not make any illegal electrical connection. I will switch off all my electrical appliances before I leave home”.

He warned that if care is not taken, it may get to a situation where if the present trend continues, the state fire service would be overwhelmed.

“All of us have a duty and I am renewing my appeal again, let us stop this dangerous businesses because once there is an error, the consequences are devastating as you see. I hope that we will restrain ourselves and get through this difficult year in some safety and adopt much more safety conscious choices as we go into the new year”, he explained.

The Governor was received and briefed at the site by the General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency(LASEMA) Dr Oke Osanyintolu and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, TpL Toyin Ayinde and other officials who had been coordinating rescue and fire control efforts at the site.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/12/26/fashola-how-did-banned-fire-crackers-enter-nigeria/

“How did they get in?, how did they enter?, who shipped them?, who imported them and who cleared them?. Who approved them to come in. Those are very serious issues.

Eko Ile: Well, we all know the money hungry folks he was appealing to. Unfortunately, you can not keep appealing to these money hungry and do anything for money hungry beasts, you have to lock them up or keep them out.

geeez:

When they can kill their mothers for money, what on earth would a life mean to them. Lets see how this plays out.

geeez:

When they can kill their mothers for money, what on earth would a life mean to them. Lets see how this plays out.

Bliss4Lyfe: Fashola should ans dat question? Afterall, he is the one choppin the tax money from the business. As long as the imports are not drugs or ammunition or dangerous to liv, then they are legitimate business for a Nigerian.

We want to encourage people to seek an honest living not kidnappers, drug dealers or armed robbery. Perhaps Fashola is tryin to encourage the alternative to a honest living or create poverty and desperation.

Fires happen all over the world and as such his comments are off track. Improve the fire services Fashola...

Bliss4Lyfe: Fashola should ans dat question? Afterall, he is the one choppin the tax money from the business. As long as the imports are not drugs or ammunition or dangerous to liv, then they are legitimate business for a Nigerian.

We want to encourage people to seek an honest living not kidnappers, drug dealers or armed robbery. Perhaps Fashola is tryin to encourage the alternative to a honest living or create poverty and desperation.

Fires happen all over the world and as such his comments are off track. Improve the fire services Fashola...

k2039:
[color=soyouquotedme]Nigeria custom service is another epitome of corruption [/color]

The Governor reflected that the people
must undertake a lot of soul searching
and reflections on the choices they
make as a people, asking; “the way we
do business, does it benefit all of us or
do we do business without
consideration for other people’s safety
as long as I make money?, I don’t care
if people die, I don’t care if properties
are burnt”.

The Governor reflected that the people must
undertake a lot of soul searching and reflections
on the choices they make as a people, asking; “the
way we do business, does it benefit all of us or do
we do business without consideration for other
people’s safety as long as I make money?, I don’t
care if people die, I don’t care if properties are
burnt”.

TCD: Fashola must you and Tinubu loot the treasury?

Bliss4Lyfe: Fashola should ans dat question? Afterall, he is the one choppin the tax money from the business. As long as the imports are not drugs or ammunition or dangerous to liv, then they are legitimate business for a Nigerian.

We want to encourage people to seek an honest living not kidnappers, drug dealers or armed robbery. Perhaps Fashola is tryin to encourage the alternative to a honest living or create poverty and desperation.

Fires happen all over the world and as such his comments are off track. Improve the fire services Fashola...

efosanice: I am a Nigerian and i believe that nigerians are just too dumb.

thirty: Take note, knockout fire and others has been prohibited in Lagos.

slimyem: I see posters winding the issue around tribe as usual.
So many forgetting that the over 40 people injured are most probably from differents tribes of the nation but the explosion couldn't differentiate or make exceptions for any.
Whatever affects one tribe affects us all.The earlier we choose to accept that and face the real problem,the better for us!