Ogun vows to end ‘paper safety’ measures in industries, warns against violations

The Ogun State Government has reiterated its commitment to industrial safety, warning that it will no longer tolerate a situation where workplace safety “exists in manuals rather than in behavior.”

The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, gave the warning on Tuesday, during a training workshop for Health Safety and Environment, HSE, personnel in Ogun State.

The workshop themed, ‘Industrial Resilience and Safety Governance: Institutionalizing Compliance, Risk Control and Emergency Preparedness in Ogun State’, was held in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Oresanya, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Kafayat Lawal, revealed that during thorough inspections, facility evaluations, and initial safety audits, a significant disparity between the established policies and the actual practices in numerous industries throughout the state was identified.

He warned that industrial safety can no longer depend on periodic government inspections alone, but must be built on continuous risk assessment, proactive leadership, competent personnel and a deeply rooted culture of prevention.

Oresanya said, “Over the past several months, officials of the Ministry have undertaken extensive inspections, facility assessments and preliminary safety audits across numerous industries operating within Ogun State. These engagements have yielded invaluable insights.

“While many organizations have developed commendable safety policies and documented management systems, our findings consistently reveal a significant gap between written procedures and actual operational practices. Too often, safety exists in manuals rather than in behaviour.

“Too often, compliance is driven by inspections instead of conviction. Too often, risks are managed after incidents instead of before they occur. This reality demands a new approach.”

To address the challenge, the commissioner disclosed that the government is advancing the transformation of the existing Safety Office into a fully empowered Ogun State Safety Commission, reaffirming the  administration commitment to ensuring that industrial progress and public safety advance together.

He explained that the proposed Commission will strengthen policy implementation, enhance technical oversight, improve enforcement, and promote international best practices in occupational safety and environmental protection.

In her welcome address, the permanent secretary stated that the observations informed the design of the programme and underscores the urgency of moving beyond compliance as a regulatory obligation to embracing safety as a strategic organizational value.

Reading the welcome address on her behalf, Director, Environmental Quality Control, Water Regulatory, Enforcement and Advocacy, Mr Kayode Akinwande, encouraged all participant to take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge and take all learnt back to their various factories.

Speaking at the event, the Principal Consultant in Safety, Mrs Dominga Odebunmi, asserted that Ogun State has a huge stake in national development and must not be found wanting in Health, Safety and Environment, adding that the state is key to the success of Nigeria and safety is essential for the country to stand.

Also, the State Chairman, Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, ISPON, Temitope Amoo, noted that the initiative is designed to move the state from its current position to where it ought to be, stressing that safety remains the bedrock of any sustainable business.

Meanwhile, the Health Safety Officer, David Solarin, urged all industries to comply with safety standards,asserting that safety is no longer merely compliance but corporate governance, aimed at preventing an accident before it happens.

In their separate remarks the participants, Mr Vincent Okoronkwo and Oluboyo Emmanuel, appreciated the Ministry for its efforts so far, stressing that at first it was seen as a witch hunting initiative, but now, it has helped in identifying the gaps and improving themselves.

Ogun vows to end ‘paper safety’ measures in industries, warns against violations