The lawmaker representing the Eket/ONNA/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State at the House of Representatives, Okpolupm Etteh has urged members of the Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers (NISafetyE) to embrace emerging technologies to safeguard lives and engender industrial development.
He noted that the call was necessary since innovation and advancement are the driving forces of the 21st-century industrial landscape.
Etteh stated this in Uyo on Friday during the investiture ceremony of Engr. Ndifreke Inokon as the 3rd Chapter Chairman of NISafetyE in Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking on the theme of the event, “Safety Engineering and Regulatory Compliance: Synergies for Sustainable Industrial Development,” Etteh who was represented by the former Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Council, Henry Ekpe-Nko, urged Safety Engineers to as professionals ensure that organizations operate with the utmost regard for the safety of workers, the public, and the environment saying that the responsibility is not negotiable.
He warned that safety engineering and regulatory compliance are not merely obligations imposed on engineers but are essential pillars upon which sustainable industrial development rests.
He said, ”As professionals in our fields of endeavour, we bear a profound duty to ensure that our organizations operate with the utmost regard for the safety of workers, the public, and the environment. This duty is not negotiable. It’s a commitment we make to uphold the highest standards of safety and compliance in all our endeavours.
“You must adapt your practices, embrace emerging technologies, and continuously enhance your regulatory frameworks to keep pace with change while safeguarding lives and livelihoods. Since innovation and advancement are driving forces of the 21st-century industrial landscape, the role of safety engineering and regulatory compliance becomes even more critical.”
While expressing hope that the Engr. Ndifreke Inokon-led executive would perform well, Etteh also tasked them to ensure the integration of environmental stewardship and social responsibility in their dealings.