LASG to enforce indoor smoking at Night clubs, Mojola, Ajayi.

 

By Cornelius Kayode 

The Lagos State Safety Commission and Lagos State Environmal Protection Agency, LASEPA, have resolved to enforce indoor smoking at Night clubs, bars and lounges across the state. 

The duo of the Director General of Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola and General Manager, LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi, made the pronouncement on Tuesday at a safety workshop organised for the hospitality sector(Night clubs, bars and lounges) owners across the state. 

The event with the theme: "Establishing a safety culture in the night  life sector in Lagos State", was organized and packaged by Lagos State Safety Commission. 

The event was held at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos. 

In his welcome address, the Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, said it is high time Nigerians comply with rules and regulation especially with international standards as it relates to smoking. 

He maintained that in every Hotels, there should be a specialized place designed for smoking cigarettes, but not at a place where everyone is relaxing and enjoying themselves. 

Mojola maintained that though service quality in the hospitality sector in Nigeria can be inconsistent, with issues such as poor customer service, lack of trained personnel and substandard facilities, but with proper monitoring by relevant agencies and adequate safety precautions, the challenges will reduce drastically, just as he emphasize that henceforth, indoor smoking at Night clubs would be enforced, this would ensure that all of us have designated places for smoking in our facilities, or else the full wrath of law would be on us. 

" There is no doubt, Lagos State will enforce indoor smoking at Night clubs,bars and lounges because it is high time we do our business as the law stipulates but not as we want it to be done,  especially in Lagos State where safety and health of all the citizens is of utmost concern of the Sanwo-Olu-led administration", Mojola said.

Also in the same vein, the General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency(LASEPA) Dr Tunde Ajayi, corroborated what the DG, Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, had earlier said, he also supported the enforcement of indoor smoking at Night clubs, bars and lounges in the state. 

Ajayi maintained that as it is in other climes, where sharp practices happen, some elements in the hospitality business do not comply to Safety rules, and this situation is being handled by relevant agencies with stiff sanctions set to be imposed.

He concluded that with forums like this from time to time, there will be proper information and education on how best to conduct hospitality business in a customer-friendly, and safety-conscious environment.

 Mr Ehi Iden, Occupational Health and Safety Manager , Mr Yomi Ayoola, Hospitality Consultant- Expose Brands and Alhaji Maijama'a Abdullaji, from National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who was represented by Mr Bashir Oladosu, were of the opinion that if service quality will be improved, there should be investment in training and capacity building for hospitality industry personnel coupled with constant monitoring to ensure compliance with global best practices.

Also, it was suggested that Night clubs should have visible exit signage, indicating ingress and exit doors where people would be versatile with coming in and out of the building and not that "when there is emergency, definitely,  stampede would occur". Experts concluded.