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.



Governor Ambode of Lagos state has promised

a law that will regulate the employment of

domestic workers in the state

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.



"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.



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.