Lagos set to regulate employment of domestic workers, security guards

The Lagos State Government is set to sponsor an executive bill before the state House of Assembly to regulate the employment of domestic workers and security guards.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state disclosed this at the launch of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) held at the Agege Stadium in Lagos on Monday.

Ambode said that the bill would prescribe regulations for such workers and other details to monitor their activities.

“There is no room for child abuse or underage workers,” the governor said.

According to him, it has been discovered that domestic workers are largely undocumented and pose a grave security threat in the state.

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“The recruiting agencies must be licensed and regulated henceforth. Our safety is now non-negotiable,” he said.

Ambode also said that a whistle blower scheme would be introduced to further enhance intelligence gathering by the LNSC.

“Any valuable information given to the corps will attract handsome reward from the state government.

“I, therefore, call on all Lagosians to join hands with us to say a final no to crime in our state,” he said.

The governor said that in the event of any crime, the Executive Secretary and senior management of LNSC could be reached on their telephone hotlines.

“The Neighbourhood Safety Corps is not, however, in any way in competition with the regular police force.

“In actual fact, they are expected to assist and complement the police by providing useful intelligence for crime prevention and to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators of criminal activities in our communities,” he said.

The governor had on Aug. 15, 2016 assented to the law that created the LNSC.

The corps was designed to provide a second layer of policing in order to ensure more security in the state and in the communities.

Ambode urged officers of the corps to conduct themselves in a civil manner, noting that the era of officers brutalising citizens was long gone.

“You must rather conduct yourselves in a civilised manner and earn the trust and respect of residents of your various communities.

“Safeguarding our communities and neighbourhood should be your watchword constantly,” he said.

According to the governor, each Local Government Area and Local Council in the state shall be provided with three of the 177 Salon cars equipped with necessary communication gadgets.

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He said that 377 motorcycles with full rider’s protection kit made up of helmets, knee and ankle guards to ensure their personal safety would be distributed across the wards in the state.

Ambode announced, among other security equipment, the provision of 4,000 bicycles to quietly patrol and engage communities across the local government areas and councils.

Earlier, Mr Oluseye Oladejo, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, said that 5,700 officers, including women, were recruited into the corps.

The Chairman of the corps, Mr Israel Ajao, advised officers to avoid any act of misbehaviour, warning that anyone found wanting would be shown the way out and prosecuted accordingly.

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