Aiyedatiwa pledges stronger protection for workers
Ondo State is positioning itself as a national leader in workplace safety, with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa pledging stronger protections for workers while linking safety to sustainable development and job creation.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 National Safety Conference in Akure, organised by the Occupational Safety Society of Nigeria (OSSN) under the theme “Occupational Safety Compliance: Key to Safer Workplace and Job Creation”, Aiyedatiwa highlighted the state’s commitment to embedding safety as a core principle across all sectors.
Represented by his Special Assistant on Emergency Response, Wellington Oriade Adebawo, the governor described the conference as a timely forum to align Ondo’s policies with global best practices in industrial safety and human capital development.
“A society that neglects worker safety risks both lives and livelihoods, Our economic progress depends on ensuring that workplaces are secure and workers are protected,” he said.
The governor outlined significant reforms, including the repositioning of the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency (ODSEMA) and other relevant bodies to improve emergency response, stakeholder coordination and private sector engagement in safety initiatives.
He stressed that occupational safety compliance should be seen as an opportunity rather than a regulatory requirement.
“Safe work environments boost productivity, morale and investor confidence. They reduce downtime, limit losses and foster innovation, all of which create employment opportunities,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa called on employers, unions and regulatory agencies to share responsibility for safety, urging collaboration to build workplaces that serve as models of efficiency, innovation and care for employees.
Commending OSSN for its advocacy, he assured that Ondo State would continue to support initiatives that safeguard workers and drive sustainable economic growth.
In his welcome address, OSSN President, Pastor Kolawole Praiseworth, said establishing a state safety commission would strengthen laws, protect workers and create professional opportunities in strategic safety management.
He pledged the society’s full cooperation in partnering with the government to implement the commission.
Source: Hope newspaper.