The Lagos government has charged students and teachers to adopt responsible waste management and fire prevention practices.

Jamiu Alli-Balogun, the commissioner for basic and secondary education, gave the charge during a sensitisation programme on waste management, sustainability, and fire prevention for students and teachers in public secondary schools in Ikeja.

Mr Alli-Balogun urged participants to assess their immediate environments and explore innovative ways to reuse waste materials.

He said that the reuse of waste materials would help address societal challenges, promote sustainability, and minimise the hazards that often lead to destructive fire outbreaks across the state.

“Look into your environment to see how you can make good use of wastes to solve our societal problems, especially in tackling fire incidents in Lagos State and beyond,” Mr Alli-Balogun said.

He said there was a need for collaboration among schools, families, and government agencies to tackle waste materials and fire incidents.

According to him, simple safety precautions, proper electrical checks, and careful handling of flammable materials can significantly prevent avoidable fire disasters.

“Simple actions like switching off appliances, checking wiring and removing flammable materials can save lives and properties, and your collaboration is needed to curb the waste trend,” he said.

Mr Alli-Balogun said the training would empower students as safety marshals and encouraged participants to share knowledge to promote cleaner, safer, and more resilient communities.

In her presentation, Bola Adewunmi, the head of the LAWMA Academy, who spoke on waste management, said that both students and teachers had significant roles to play in the mission of ensuring resilient communities.

Ms Adewunmi said that effective waste management would promote a clean environment, reduce pollution, and limit the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and malaria. She said that effective waste management would support a healthy, conducive atmosphere for focused learning in schools.

Ms Adewunmi said that waste management had shifted from a linear to a circular economy, enabling recycling into useful products, wealth creation and business opportunities. She, therefore, urged students and teachers to embrace proper disposal and sanitation practices.

The ministry’s permanent secretary, Abisola Dokunmu-Adegbite, urged students to take the lessons seriously and work together to sustain clean, safe and supportive school environments that promote effective learning and overall development.

“Fire is useful. It is a friend to all, used for cooking and daily activities, but it becomes dangerous when mishandled. Fire is our friend when used properly, but it becomes our enemy when we are careless,” Babatunde Oluwarotimi, assistant fire officer, told students.

He therefore advised placing cylinders outside, keeping unexpired extinguishers, clearing escape routes, and knowing the emergency numbers, 112 or 767. 

(NAN)