Following the controversy generated by the collapsed guest house belonging to Synagogue, the Lagos State Government has advised insurance practitioners to participate in the ongoing coroner inquest to ascertain if the building was properly insured and also to create pubic awareness.
The Governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who gave the admonition said the only way insurance practitioners could create more awareness especially as regards insurance of public buildings and buildings under construction was to take part in such activities apart from the usual public enlightenement campaign.
The collapsed guest house, which killed nothing less than 100 worshippers especially South Africans, is suspected not have the right approval and insurance cover before the unfortunate incident.
The governor, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze, said individuals and government had a responsibility to manage risk, for the betterment of lives and those of the people being served.
According to him, “We are often impervious to the risks we face on a daily basis. Risk here being the probability or the threat of damage, loss, injury or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities, the consequences of which may be avoided through pre-emptive action.
“As a government, we are responsible for the wellbeing and welfare of the people we serve. We have a responsibility to provide social security for both the young and the elderly; a responsibility to provide security of life and property and also a responsibility to
ensure that the infrastructure put in place are properly maintained in a way and manner that the state can be described as having a ‘developed economy status.’
“Where we fail to take pre-emptive steps to attend to the risks that come with the responsibilities that have been placed on us, we would be failing in a part of our duty as government.”
He pointed out that the Lagos State Government had always been in the vanguard of identifying risks and taking steps to mitigate/eradicate those risks, as much as possible.
