The Oyo State government has launched a statewide sensitisation and advocacy drive to enhance workplace safety, safeguard workers’ welfare, and avert industrial disputes.
Speaking at the flag-off event in Ibadan on Thursday, the Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry, Adeniyi Adebisi, said the initiative was a proactive measure to engage industries, educate stakeholders, and entrench a culture of safety and mutual respect in workplaces.
“As a responsible and responsive government, we should not wait for crisis before engaging our industries. They play a vital role in the growth of Oyo State’s economy, and this initiative will allow us to interact with them directly, verify data, understand their challenges, and work together to find solutions. It will also help boost the state’s revenue,” the commissioner said.
He noted that the sensitisation drive comes on the heels of the inauguration of the Industrial Crisis Management Team, tasked with overseeing workplace safety initiatives and coordinating interventions across the state.
The commissioner revealed that the campaign would kick off with monthly visits to production companies and industrial hubs, beginning with Ibadan in the second week of August, followed by Oyo town in the third week as the first pilot location outside the state capital.
READ ALSO
He further disclosed that plans were underway to establish a Quality Control Department within the Ministry to serve as a bridge between the government and industries, ensuring that products manufactured in Oyo State meet acceptable standards both locally and nationally.
Also speaking, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olajide Okesade, said the visits to companies including Sumal Foods Limited, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Zartech Limited, and Nisalee Industries Limited would provide a platform to engage with management and union leaders, assess workers’ welfare, and confirm that health facilities and safety measures are adequately maintained.
He explained that the outreach was aimed at preventing workplace disputes, safeguarding employees’ rights, and enforcing compliance with safety regulations in line with Federal Government directives.
“His Excellency, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, is committed to making workers’ welfare in the private sector as good as those in the public sector. We have observed high compliance levels, but it is important to sustain these standards,” he said.
In continuation of its statewide workplace safety drive, the Oyo State Industrial Crisis Management Unit inspected several factories and facilities, assessing key infrastructure such as staff clinics, toilets, canteens, fire control systems, and first aid stations.
The Ministry said similar checks had earlier been conducted at companies including Sumal Foods Limited, Seven-Up Bottling Company, and Zartech Limited, with the goal of enforcing safety standards and protecting workers’ welfare.
Established in November 2024 by a resolution of the Oyo State House of Assembly, the unit will sustain the campaign across more industries in the coming weeks.
