By Funmilayo Fabunmi
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote safety and preservation of critical evidence at crash sites.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony held at the LASEMA office in Lagos recently, the Director-General of NSIB, Akin Olateru, said that it was important for agencies and organisations to partner in the interest of the country.
Olateru explained that NSIB was not the first responder in case of an accident, but said it was necessary for the agency to partner with first responders like LASEMA, police, the military and other critical organisations.
The NSIB boss declared that the new NSIB Act 2022 empowered it to investigate serious incidents and accidents in all modes of transportation with the aim of boosting safety.
He said, “We had an initial meeting in March this year, which gave birth to this MoU that we are signing today. We have been pursuing some orgnisations in the last six years and nothing positive has come out of it. Whatever MoU we sign with organisations, it is in the interest of the nation.
“We are not the first responder in case of an accident; we are investigators. The first responders need to know their roles, and we need to know ours, too.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said that the authority had signed MoUs with various organisations, including 25 United Nations agencies and a higher institution in the state.
He said, “We also say that disaster management is the responsibility of everyone. We are signing this MoU with NSIB to take care of the airspace in case of an emergency or disaster.
“When the unfortunate aircraft accident happened earlier in the week, we worked together with the officials of NSIB at the crash site and our effort ensured that there was no mortality in the accident.”
