AKWA IBOM STATE STEPS UP SAFETY REFORMS AS SSA UFOT CALLS FOR STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION

The Akwa Ibom State Government has taken a decisive step towards institutionalizing a culture of safety and environmental responsibility, with the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Safety and Environment, Mrs. Jayne Ufot, leading the charge at the 2025 Annual Safety Conference of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Akwa Ibom branch.
Speaking at the conference held on June 27, 2025, Mrs. Ufot reiterated that the creation of her office, along with the recruitment of professional safety officers, signaled a clear shift from rhetoric to implementation. She outlined recent reforms under the ARISE Agenda, including on-site inspections at sensitive project sites like GTL Pumar Ltd. and the ARISE Park construction zones, where safety lapses were addressed head-on.
She further disclosed that for the first time in state history, safety briefings are now a standard feature at major events. One such example was the recent political rally at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, where public safety messaging was integral to the event planning.
Calling on stakeholders to deepen collaboration, Mrs. Ufot emphasized that sustainable safety cannot be achieved in isolation. “Safety is a shared responsibility that demands cooperative spirit, mutual accountability, and a unified purpose,” she said.
Themed “Strategic Stakeholders Collaboration for Effective Safety Management, Practice Compliance and Enforcement,” the ISPON event also witnessed the induction of new members, including Mrs. Ufot herself. Her participation and remarks were widely praised as reflective of a new era of proactive, government-led safety governance in Akwa Ibom.