Sterlin Bank Tasks Nigerians on Safety and Health
In a bid to promote health and decent work, Sterlin Bank Plc has called on every Nigerian to imbibe the culture of safety and health, either in the work place or in their homes.
The call was made by the bank’s Group Head, Customer Experience Service, Mrs Titi Ogundipe, during an event to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, in Lagos recently.
She said most Nigerians do not put the safety and health of their lives into consideration, especially at their work place, hence the need to create awareness on placing priority on occupational safety and health, as many people have slowly lost their lives through this neglect.
According to her, with enlightenment, most Nigerians will be aware that there is health and safety act in the Nigerian constitution that is supposed to be regulating the health and safety of workers, while also protecting them, but unfortunately most Nigerian workers are not aware of this act.
She said with the help of the media, it would be easier for people to understand the importance of health and safety to their lives, as well as becoming aware of this act.
Ogundipe said in a bid to show example, Sterlin Bank is championing the first of its kind awareness campaign through bringing together professionals as well as safety and health groups so as to chat a course towards achieving the goal of giving every Nigerian the opportunity to know as well as imbibe safety and health cultures.
For the Group Head, Strategy and Communication, Shina Atilula, the bank’s safety and health department has always made sure the bank’s staff are up to speed on the various safety and health tips.
“We decimate safety tips via email to all our staff. The media can as well share these tips to the general public.”
For the bank, some of these tips include use of nose mask for the staff who handles money. So that as they are counting money they will not be inhaling the chemicals from it.
Other safety tips are also shared among the staff,” he added.
He also advocated for harmo- nization of the different health and safety regulations in the country so that they will have one voice.
On how other Nigerian workers can be knowledgeable on various occupational safety and health tips, he said the government at the local government level should be able to organize programmes to create awareness among the citizens so that any organisation that does not take safety and health of its workers would be sanctioned.
“Same goes for the state as well as the federal government. At the federal level, we are appealing to the National Assembly to sign the Occupational Health and Safety bill into law. The bill has been with them since 2008 and till now, nothing has been done about it.