Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has enhanced collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to improve personnel training and facilities in a bid to enhance Ekiti State’s capabilities in disaster and emergency management, ensuring the safety and protection of its citizens’ lives.
Consequently, the governor has despatched a team of experts to Lagos to understudy LASEMA and domesticate part of their operations to lubricate frictions being experienced in disaster management in Ekiti.
The delegation, headed by Mr. Opeyemi Abayomi, Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Governor’s Office, and accompanied by Mr. Oludare Asaolu, General Manager of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (EKSEMA), visited LASEMA’s office in Lagos on Friday.
Ekiti News reports that the purpose of the visit was to exchange ideas aimed at significantly enhancing emergency response capabilities in Ekiti State.
Recall that Governor Oyebanji, had recently visited LASEMA’s headquarters in Lagos, where he sought a strong partnership with the agencies in critical areas that can be effectively domesticated in Ekiti for improved operation of EKSEMA.
Following the initial meeting, a team of experts from LASEMA was subsequently dispatched to Ekiti a few days later to assess the operational structures and facilities of EKSEMA and its affiliated agencies involved in emergency management.
Mr. Abayomi Opeyemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Governor’s Office and leader of Ekiti’s delegation, while
speaking about this visit in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, highlighted that the collaboration aligns with Governor Oyebanji’s commitment to ensuring a safe and secure Ekiti State.
Mr. Opeyemi emphasized that the governor’s initiative aims to mitigate disasters and achieve the shared prosperity agenda of his administration. He explained, “Governor Oyebanji approved a study tour of LASEMA for EKSEMA, led by myself alongside the General Manager of EKSEMA, the Director of Fire Services, and other experts.”
During the study tour, the Ekiti delegation visited several key facilities of LASEMA, including the headquarters, Fire Services office, Cappa Response Unit and its equipment hub, Internally Displaced Persons camp at Igando, Onipanu Response Base, and Lekki Response Base.
The team also engaged in interactive sessions with Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, heads of LASEMA agencies, technical partners, and the management team.
Additionally, they participated in a workshop themed ‘Strengthening Flood Resilience in Vulnerable Communities in Lagos State’ to expose EKSEMA’s personnel to modern techniques and innovations in disaster mitigation and management.