Lagos, Nigeria, 01 November, 2013: Stakeholders in the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian
economy have scored Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk, high in
its safety measures and policies.
The stakeholders gave the
commendation at a safety day organised by the company in Lagos last Thursday.
Leading the pack is the General
Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Engineer Shabi
Adebola who lauded the management of Promasidor for the high standards of
safety on its premises.
Engr. Shabi however enjoined other
manufacturing companies to be concerned about how their wastes and effluent
were being destroyed in a bid to have sustainable environment in the country.
Also speaking, Mrs. Catherine
Famuse, Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity said
she was happy to be part of the event, adding that, “This premises was
registered by me and I’m very happy since it was registered there has not been
reported case of accident.”
Famuse who also doubles as National
Secretary of the National Industrial Safety Council, expressed happiness about
the improvement of safety awareness daily in the country, added that my message
to all workers is to be safety cautious, remarking that there is no job that
does not have its inherent hazards, but what they should do is to identify and
assess them in a bid to manage and control them.
Executive Secretary of Manufacturers
Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ikeja branch who said Promasidor has carted away
most of their laurels, added, “We are very proud of Promasidor because of the
safety measures it has put in place to enhance safety in its work place.”
Comrade Tunji Sekoni, Chairman,
National Industrial Safety Council, Lagos State branch said Promasidor has
scored high marks in safety, adding to make things work better in the
manufacturing sector of the economy, there was need for institution of social
dialogue on safety in the country.
Professor Oladele Osibanjo, Chairman/
Chief Consultant of Jawura Environmental Services Limited presented a paper
titled “Sustainable Manufacturing” in which he highlighted the need for
manufacturing companies to be mindful of the effect of their operations on the
environment among others.
According to him, transition and
transformation to sustainable manufacturing / green economy is imperative for
attainment of sustainable industrialization in Nigeria and meeting the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) consistent with the 1989 National Policy
on the Environment as revised in 1999 and the outcome of the Rio+20
document ‘’The Future we want ‘’
He said this has become imperative
because most extant industrial facilities have caused high risks to human
health and the environment because the strategies adopted and measures employed
are reactive, curative, trying to abate pollution after it has occurred.
Osibanjo said the way out is in the
adoption of a hazard preventive or minimization approach embodied in green
chemistry/sustainable manufacturing because it is the most fundamental approach
to preventing pollution and should be promoted and widely incorporated into
industrial processes and products in Nigeria as it is a catalyst towards
attainment of sustainable development.
He added that, “If we can adopt
sustainable manufacturing, our environment will be green, safe for the present
and future generations.”
In his address of welcome, Chief
Keith Richards, Managing Director/Chief Executive of Promasidor said the
company was determined to pay more attention to safety in all ramifications and
also committed to preserving the safety of its staff, customers and all its
stakeholders.
According to him, it goes without
saying that safety for us cannot be overstated or undermined, remarking that as
we continue to grow our business and increase our operations; we are determined
to pay more attention to safety in all ramifications and we are committed to
preserving the safety of our staff, customers and all our stakeholders.
He noted that the company’s safety
measures and policies had been acknowledged and they had received accolades and
awards from Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) and regulatory bodies.
Promasidor currently holds the Award
for the Best Kept Industrial Premises in the Food, Beverages and Tobacco
Group and it is worthy to note that it has been second to none for the past
three years in its zone in this regard.
Richards observed that, “Ssafety is
an integral part of our lives and it is important to pay attention to the
necessary safety measures that protect our health, help us avoid domestic and
industrial accidents and consequently preserve and protect our lives. Without
safety our business will suffer loss and our productivity will be hampered, consequently
affecting our families and our livelihood.”
He noted that in a manufacturing
company such as theirs, with heavy-duty lifting, production facilities with
long processing lines, busy maintenance schedules, very high mechanization and
people moving around about their duties, accidents are prone to happen.
The managing director said at
Promasidor Safety is taken very seriously and its safety policy ensures that
all our employees and stakeholders involved in our processes on the premises
are held to high safety standards as precaution to prevent avoidable accidents,
adding that they also champion the crusade to ensure everyone accepts
responsibility for his or her own safety and for those around them.
In a bid to ensure that high
standards are maintained, Promasidor has initiated different safety programmes
which include inauguration of Safety Marshals in 2007, inauguration of Safety
& Security Committee in 2008, creation of HSE Department in 2009,
establishment of Fire hydrant layout system and Launching of Promasidor Safety
Manual in February 23, 2011.
The event was graced by senior
officials of Promasidor, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA),
MAN, Federal Ministry of Labour, National Industrial Safety Council and
Engineer Fadipe Rasak, Director, Lagos Fire Service among others.
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