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Sanwo-Olu Approves Relaxation of COVID-19 Protocols for Event Centres
Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has approved further easing of restrictions on social centres across the State with immediate effect.
The governor gave the approval after due consultations and deliberations with relevant stakeholders and MDAs including the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Lagos State Safety Commission.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, and the Director-General of Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, jointly conveyed the approval of the governor at Alausa, Ikeja, recently.
Akinbile-Yussuf stated that there are new guidelines for the facilities as approved by the governor, noting that all event centres operating in the State must hold a valid licence of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture prior to operating as an event centre.
She added that all the centres must be duly registered and verified on the Lagos State Safety Commission website: www.lasgsafetyreg.com prior to holding any event. This is in addition to obtaining Event Safety Clearance from the Lagos State Safety Commission through the website: www.lasgsafetyreg.com for any proposed event or exhibition.
She added: “Safety Marshals shall be deployed by an accredited event safety consultant from Lagos State Safety Commission for every social event with attendance exceeding 200 people.
“Occupancy limit at any event must not exceed 50% of the maximum design capacity of the hall, wherein Occupancy Limit stickers provided by the Lagos State Safety Commission must be boldly posted at the entrance of the event hall. Maximum allowable capacity for event centres irrespective of the occupancy limit is 500 people”, she added.
The commissioner averred that deep cleaning must be carried out before and after every event, stressing that “Physical distancing shall be maintained between seated guests and a maximum number of seated guests should be six people on a table of 10 persons.
She said, “Event duration should not exceed a maximum period of six hours and all guests and service providers at the facility must wear a nose mask or face shield before entry. During the six-hour period, seated guests may safely remove their masks at intervals but must endeavour to wear their masks when leaving their seats.”
According to the commissioner, all guests and service providers must endeavour to wash their hands before entering event centres or in the alternative use hand sanitisers, adding that temperature checks must be taken at all entry points into the facility.
“Guests and service providers with temperature (above 37.5) are to be politely turned back and referred to paramedics or the emergency response team on-ground. Hand sanitisers must be positioned at the entry points and different spots within the hall. Restrooms must not be crowded. A maximum of three people at a time depending on the number of conveniences available,” Akinbile-Yussuf emphasised.
While advocating for frequent disinfection and wiping of all high touch areas such as doorknobs, toilet flush buttons/levers, stair railings, amongst others, especially in the rest rooms, the Commissioner averred that all event planners should ensure they have access to their guest lists and be willing to provide the list to the relevant authorities if/when required for ease of contact tracing of a COVID-19 positive guest.
She said “All event centres must endeavour to display standard COVID-19 safety signs. The signs must be bold and installed at conspicuous locations. The music level should not exceed 70dB. Safety moments/briefings should be rendered before the start of every event and at certain intervals in between the event. Event centre owners/planners/vendors would be responsible for any breach of protocols by their staff”.
“Relevant officers must be trained on basic first aid and emergency procedures. Any violation of this protocol shall attract fines and penalties in line with the Lagos State Infectious Diseases Control Regulation 2020,” the commissioner declared.
Senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, returned to her seat in the Senate to resume her legislative duties.
According to TheCable, the Senator walked into the senate chamber at about 11.42am with a smile and smirk, made her way to her seat and after making herself comfortable, exchanged pleasantries with a few senators.
The legislator was accompanied to the senate by a handful of activists and loyalists, including Aisha Yesufu, who was spotted in the gallery.
Some of the lawmaker’s supporters were, however, not allowed into the senate gallery.
The senate had earlier unsealed her office to pave the way for her return, days after the national assembly insisted that she remained suspended, citing ongoing litigation.
Her resumption comes amid longstanding controversy over her allegation of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) have threaten to cripple legislative activities of the National Assembly if their demands are not addressed.
The union members are protesting what they describe as the National Assembly management’s neglect of their welfare demands as well as intimidation and harassment of union activists.
Beyond financial grievances, the union members accuse the National Assembly management of intimidation and harassment aimed at stifling union activities.
They are demanding a rule-driven unionism anchored on the provisions of the PASAN Constitution, 2015, citing several provisions mandating the executive officers to be financially transparent, including preparing annual budgets and circulating audited accounts.
The management, while acknowledging the protest notice, has occasionally attempted to deflect the grievances, claiming that the agitation is driven by “internal union-related issues” or attempts to disband the local PASAN chapter.
However, the workers maintain that their action is protected under the Nigerian Constitution and the Trade Union Act.
This repeated standoff over welfare, which has historically led to the shutdown of legislative operations and threatened to disrupt critical legislative activities such as budget defense sessions, underscores the deep-seated labor concerns within the National Assembly bureaucracy.
The Obidient Movement on Friday called on President Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, the Department of State Services, DSS, and other security agencies to arrest and prosecute the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Adekunle Mustapha aka Sego.
It said Sego should be arrested and prosecuted for threatening to kill anybody who votes against the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State in 2027.
Reacting to a video showing Sego issuing the threat, the movement said Sego’s action is parts of desperate attempts engineered by the APC because the party does not have the voting strength nor popular support to win free and fair elections in Lagos State.
The statement signed by the Movement’s National Coordinator, Tanko Yunusa, read: “The attention of the Obidient Movement has been drawn to comments, well captured on video, by the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers Adekunle Mustapha aka Sego.
“In summary, the said Sego, who masquerades as a Labour Union leader, threatened to kill anyone who votes against the APC in Lagos, during the next elections, scheduled for 2027.
“The Obidient Movement recalls with grief and sadness, the violence unleashed by this same NURTW members and other thugs, during the 2023 elections, on Nigerian voters in Lagos, particularly members of the Obidient Movement and supporters of Mr Peter Obi and the Labour Party, resulting in the recorded killing and maiming of so many.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that these threats and acts of murder and brigandage are desperate attempts engineered by the APC, realizing that they do not have the voting strength nor popular support to win any elections, free and fair in Lagos, as with generally across the country, having failed to deliver good governance arising from their questionable mandate in the 2023 elections.
“Over the years, actions of murder, thuggery, political violence, extortion and other criminal acts have continued to be associated and even accepted as part of the operation of the NURTW in Lagos.
“We are by this statement calling the attention of President Bola Tinubu, who bears statutory and historical responsibility for this development, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Police, DSS, Military and all other security agencies to immediately effect the arrest, detention and prosecution of this NURTW Chairman, and all others who have been long involved in the perpetration of these threats, murders and politically related criminal acts.”
Yunusa also called the attention of the international community to Sego’s threats.
“We are also putting the International Community on notice, of these crimes against humanity and threats to peace in Nigeria, and those legally responsible, by their actions and inactions,” he added.
