The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria( ISPON) Akwa Ibom State Branch has made a case for collaboration with relevant public and private organisations to improve safety awareness and practices in the state.

At a recent courtesy call to the chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council,in Uyo recently, the ISPON State Coordinator,Mr. Ita Benson said safety consciousness is paramount to the growth of every modern society. He lamented the loses incurred by families over recent domestic and public disasters. While congratulating the State NUJ led by Comrade Nsibiet John, Ita lauded the early strides of the new leadership and urged media  organisations to sensitise the the public on global safety benchmarks for the preservation of lives and property.

The state ISPON helmsman reiterated his institute’s desire to partner the Union to improve safety awareness in  Akwa Ibom State.

Responding, Comrade Nsibiet John, State chairman of the NUJ thanked the state ISPON coordinator for the offer of collaboration and pledged to leverage the wide media reach of the constituent organisations to sensitise Akwa Ibom people to awaken to safety practices. John said the union is open to partnering organisations to improve living conditions in various communities of the state.

In a related development,  ISPON,Akwa Ibom State Branch has put  a red alert on the the increasing number of safety breaches  in the state in the run up to the Yuletide. Ita said:

Recently in Ikot Ekpene,a tipper driver was electrocuted while tipping sand under a high -tension wire in Utu Ikot Ekpeyong,an outskirts community. His corpse is now lying cold in the morgue!

As an institute charged by law to rally public and private sector operators to erect occupational health and safety advocacy platforms in private and public spaces,we join forces with the Nigerian Police, Akwa Ibom State command under the leadership of CP Baba Ahmed Azare to warn rascally transport and construction workers to desist from operating near areas of potential risk. We urge all stakeholders in the above- mentioned sectors to prioritise safety standards to combat grave incidences in the approaching Yuletide. Lives and property must be preserved and saved from danger in the approaching  festive seasons. We are available for partnership with public and private organisations to mitigate  drunk driving and the operation of  poorly-maintained vehicles on our roads.”

ISPON Akwa Ibom State Branch expressed sympathy with the families of those whose lives were cut off by the fatal electrocution in Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State and the collapsed buildings in Oyingbo and Ajegunle areas of Lagos State.

The institute reiterated that those incidences are a pointer to the importance of safety precautions in our homes and work places.

It called on private and corporate citizens to adopt certain safety protocols provided by ISPON and the Akwa Ibom State Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the Akwa Ibom State Governor on Health, Safety and security.