On Tuesday, the Lagos State government stressed the need to prioritize safety to avert disasters associated with railway systems, following the inauguration of the Blue and Redline Rail lines for commercial operations in the metropolis.
The Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC), Mr. Lanre Mojola, emphasized this in his address at the Railway Safety Sensitization Workshop themed: “Safe By Design: Building A Culture of Railway Safety In Lagos State,” organized by LSC in conjunction with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
Speaking at the event, which took place in the Gbagada area of the state, he argued that though rail transportation remained the most secure and cost-effective mode of travel within multimodal transportation, it was not devoid of its own safety considerations that required attention.
According to him, these risks include train collisions with pedestrians and vehicles, fire incidents, falls from heights, electrocution, train derailments, among others. He stated that it was in line with the commission’s mandate to preserve lives by preventing accidents that the workshop was convened to sensitize the public, “particularly our host communities, on effective strategies to avoid these hazards and mitigate their impact.”
“Across all facets of the railway system—be it tracks, level crossings, overpasses, underpasses, train cabins, or stations—we encounter risks that demand our unwavering attention. These risks include train collisions with pedestrians and vehicles, fire incidents, falls from heights, electrocution, train derailments, and entrapments, among others.
“In alignment with the commission’s mandate to preserve lives by preventing accidents, we have convened this workshop to sensitize the public, particularly our host communities, on effective strategies to avoid these hazards and mitigate their impact.
“Our seasoned railway experts and safety professionals will deliver relevant safety topics, carefully selected to underscore the importance of imbibing a culture of safety within this sector,” he said.
Mojola, therefore, implored community leaders, local government chairpersons, railway transport operators, and regulators to engage attentively with the presentations at the workshop to be able to further sensitize fellow citizens and collectively ensure safety in railway transportation across the state.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Sesan Ogundeko, in his own submission, pointed out that the ministry was entrusted with the vital task of ensuring the safety of lives and property across all sectors that drive socio-economic activity in the state.
Ogundeko said the state government was irrevocably committed to the safety of its citizens and, therefore, the need for the workshop on railway safety sensitization.
“That’s why, in preparation for the upcoming Red Line Rail and the continued operation of the Blue Line, we’ve organized this crucial railway safety sensitization,” he said.
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“This workshop serves a critical purpose: to educate the public and commuters about the occupational safety and health risks associated with railway systems. By familiarizing yourselves with the safety protocols at stations, level crossings, and on-board trains, we can cultivate a collective awareness that safeguards everyone,” he added.
The Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engineer Abimbola Akinajo, who was represented by the Director Rail in the agency, Engineer Olasunkanmi Okusaga, applauded the Lagos State Safety Commission for the collaboration on the sensitization program.
He acknowledged that everything about rail operation had to do with safety, saying that from the level of designing, construction, and regulation of rail operations, which has to do with mass movement of people, is all about safety.