The Convener Dr Chidera Amaechi.
Stakeholders and awardees at the 12th edition of the awards and lecture organised by Media Center for Promotion of Safety and Awareness (MCPoSA) to commemorate International Labour Organisation (ILO) world day for safety and health at work varied considering the theme for year 2025.
Newsconnect reports that the theme for this year was dubbed “Revolutionizing Health and Safety, The Role of AI and digitalisation at work”.
The Lagos State PRO of NSCDC Oluwaseun Abolurin at the event said we must not be over dependent on AI, that there must be a backend incase there is a failure.
In an interview with newsmen at the event, he said;
“Also one of the sector that is also important to power AI is the power sector, in this part of the world that 24 hours power supply is an issue.
“Government should invest on physical people who will man this spacing. In NSCDC we are already talking about power marshals with the ministry of power. We need to invest in power because power would drive AI.
“We as citizens should protect government infrastructure in our environment. If we see something, we say something. We believe so much in synergy and collaboration, all hands to be on deck. Gone are those days that security matters are left for security agencies alone. Information sharing is important.
“Like i proposed, media, security and Relevant stakeholders should be trained on AI. AI needs to form the curriculum of our youths and students. If you are informed, if you are educated, you wont allow that demon to strike you rather it will be used responsibly.
“If you know what should know about AI, you won’t let another demon to strike you”. He said
The keynote speaker posited that myriads of government agencies and institutions previously operated without basic safety infrastructure such as signage, fire extinguishers, or first aid kits.
His committee issued compliance warnings and deadlines, and notable improvements have since been recorded. He noted that NISTF (National Industrial Safety Trust Fund) revenue surged to over N4 billion through their oversight efforts.
“We focused on high-risk sectors like oil and gas, aviation, and maritime, ensuring safety consciousness is elevated and compliance enforced,” he added.
A 2 time awardee from the same organisation Rotimi Oluseyi Ewedemi among other things said industrial safety is good, however, people should take it home and apply the knowledge to promote safety at home. He appreciated the organisers for the award.
Professor Okeke who was also an awardee gave kudos to the organisers of the program. In an interview with journalists at the event, he said;
“it is a way of rewarding good jobs, so whatever you are doing, people are watching. That is why you see the awardees receiving awards in their various field. Kudos to the organisers of this program, they should keep the fire burning.
“I have never seen AI has something that will take us to promise land that is the truth even though we have some positive sides. Ai is a scientific breakthrough, scientific innovation, it is commendable. But then it has its own disadvantages too. I am still nervous”. He said.
Chairman of the newly created North West Development Commission, Hon. Gumi stated that his new role will build on the same values of protection, development, and institutional integrity.
Receiving the Icon Award on behalf of the organizers, Gumi expressed gratitude and reaffirmed his pledge: “This recognition is a call to do more. We will not relent until every workplace in Nigeria is safe, every professional is accountable, and every law upholds the sanctity of life and dignity of labour.”
Two Non-governmental and nonprofit making organisations which include Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling ( ARBR )and Recycling and Economic Development Initiative Nigeria (REDIN), committed to safe and impactful Recycling respectively bagged a Safety Merit Award.
Dr Chidera Amaechi, the convener of Nigeria safety and security awards told journalists in an interview at the event that;
“This years theme is a global theme, not as if it is Nigerian base. You domesticate it with what applies in your own country . From what we have gathered today. AI has come to stay.
“That is one of the truth we should tell ourselves. AI has come to stay. Some of the speakers said yes it has so many advantages, impact on our jobs.
“It gives us smart world, smart lives, smart walk places and all that. We should be cautious while embracing AI. AI makes life easier for us in so many ways.
“From today, we have also learnt that there are areas we have to be careful in patronizing AI. The other angle of it is digitalisation.What we are using here is about digitalization, what we are doing here is about digitalization. So it is going places and it is taking over productivity, it is taking over the workplace.
“So the essence of this year’s theme is to tell us , teach us, rob minds on how we can apply this new threat of AI digitalization safely without contributing to hazards or harming us in anywhere”. She said