Lagos Mulls Emergency Control Centre

Lagos State is to create an emergency control centre where residents can make telephone calls for prompt response in case of emergencies and disasters.

To this end, a bill for a law to establish the Lagos State Emergency Command and Control Centre; regulate the making of telephone calls to the centre; and provide for other connected matters has been tabled for consideration at the State House of Assembly.

Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, deputy speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly at a public hearing of the bill, said the need to improve on the readiness of the state to tackle emergencies and disasters by getting prompt information is responsible for the creation of the state Emergency Command and Control Centre.

Taiwo, who represented Adeyemi Ikuforiji, speaker, said: “Day-in-day-out we are faced with emergencies and there is need for us to take advantage of a decentralised communication system in the society by creating a command centre as a back-up. It is our duty as a legislature to give legitimacy to this initiative.”

According to him, the centre would create more consciousness on the need to provide information to aid the security agencies and government in combating emergencies and disasters.

Mr. Segun Olulade, chairman, House Committee on Information, Security, Strategy and Publicity, said the centre would focus on improving individual and corporate safety and security in Lagos State and Nigeria.

“The centre is to provide emergency telephone numbers to be called by the public in times of emergency; facilitate quick and efficient response to accidents, emergencies and disasters; educate the public on the use of emergency telephone lines and adopt appropriate measures to prevent the misuse of the centre’s facilities.”