The government of Ogun State has issued a strong warning to local industries, declaring that it will no longer accept workplace safety standards that exist only on paper. Ola Oresanya, the Commissioner for Environment, delivered this message during a recent Health Safety and Environment workshop in Abeokuta.
Represented by Dr. Kafayat Lawal, the Permanent Secretary, Oresanya noted that official inspections revealed a troubling disconnect between corporate safety manuals and daily operations. He emphasized that safety must transition from a reactive exercise driven by government audits to a proactive culture embedded in leadership and risk management.
To enforce these changes, the state is upgrading its Safety Office into an empowered Ogun State Safety Commission. This new body will focus on stricter oversight, policy enforcement, and aligning local practices with global standards. Experts at the workshop, including representatives from the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, highlighted that industrial progress cannot be decoupled from rigorous safety protocols.
Participants at the event acknowledged that while initial government oversight felt restrictive, the initiative has successfully identified critical operational gaps. The administration remains firm that moving forward, safety must be treated as a core component of corporate governance rather than a mere regulatory requirement.
