The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening emergency preparedness at the grassroots with the revitalisation of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) across the state.

The permanent secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said this at a stakeholders’ meeting held to fine-tune the operations of LEMCs, bringing together vice chairmen of local governments who double as chairmen of LEMCs.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the meeting was aimed at ensuring that local emergency managers clearly understood their roles and worked collaboratively to fulfil their mandate to protect lives and property.

“The mandate of Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is clear: safety of lives and property remains a key dividend of democracy.

“This stakeholders’ meeting is to ensure that our local emergency structures are on their toes, working hand in hand and effectively managing the golden hour—the period between life and death,” he said.

He explained that LASEMA was onboarding and retraining local emergency officials to ensure uniform response standards across all local governments.

According to him, the agency has also intensified preparedness ahead of the festive season, assuring residents of an emergency-free Christmas and New Year.

“As part of our preparedness efforts, we will pay a visit to the LEMCs at Lagos Island, Onigbongbo, and Alimosho to demonstrate our readiness and reassure Lagos residents that the state is prepared for any eventuality,” he added.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents to act responsibly, stressing that emergency management was a shared responsibility.

Speaking at the meeting, the vice chairman of the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area, Oluwatoyin Akerele, described the engagement as timely, saying, “Effective emergency response begins at the grassroots.”

“Nothing can be done without the grassroots. We are the local people; we know our terrain and understand our communities.

“That makes us the first responders whenever emergencies occur in our local governments,” she said.

Ms Akerele, the chairman of vice chairmen in Lagos State, said they were prepared to serve as chairmen of emergency management at the local level.

She added that they would engage their respective local government chairmen to ensure seamless coordination in protecting lives and property.

She assured residents that local government leadership would continue to work closely with LASEMA and other stakeholders to safeguard lives, property, and community security across Lagos State.

The stakeholder engagement included representatives from various emergency responders and agencies in the state.

(NAN)