By Kamil Opeyemi
The Lagos State Safety Commission has warned members of the public against impersonators posing as staff or consultants of the Commission, warning that Lagosians should resist the urge to pay money into individuals’ accounts except designated government accounts.
Director-General of the Commission, Lanre Mojola in a statement released and made available to NPOReports on Tuesday said the warning had become imperative in view of several reported cases of unscrupulous individuals parading themselves as officials of the Commission and manipulating unsuspecting members of the public into paying money into personal accounts.
According to him, the State Government does not operate personal individual accounts and that anyone asking to pay money into such accounts should know that the agents or officials do not represent the Commission.
He also disclosed that the Commission had put in place stringent measures to curb activities of some compromised consultants, saying that the Commission had instituted legal actions against impersonators and terminated the agreement with consultants found wanting.
While revealing that one impersonator was recently convicted and imprisoned, Mojola stated that all its consultants have authorised identification cards that must always be worn whenever they were carrying out an audit or inspections of organisations.
The Director-General, therefore, called on members of the public to report promptly to the government, activities of unscrupulous officials, consultants and those impersonating its officials through its hotline 07000SAFETY and 08181002233
He reiterated that the Commission is responsible for the issuance and withdrawal of overall safety compliance certificates, conducting and reviewing risk assessment reports, conducting investigations on safety issues and making recommendations where necessary and coordinating all government matters relating to the safety of lives and properties in the State.
“Others are the formulation of policies, providing advisory and being the regulatory body on safety-related issues; coordinating and monitoring the activities of relevant organisations involved in safety services in the State; appointing consultants when required to enable the commission carry out its functions under the provision of the law and foster and maintaining effective interaction, networking and collaboration on safety issues with relevant government agencies,”he added.