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SAFETY IN THE BUSINESS: HOPE vs. EXPERIENCE


Business safety issues in Nigeria are largely left to hope rather than experience.

Cataclysmal occurrences elsewhere are ascribed to ill luck, home trouble, which can be left with the Pastor, Alfa, Babalawo, Seer or Marabout to sort out while you get on with the business of "making money". Sad road to take, but mind you, the choice is entirely yours. Besides, the power to choose is one of the most powerful tools God gifted us with so there's no call for regret when it all falls down and your business is badly hit. Your employees may be killed or maimed in the process which will leave in all sorts of troubles. It is a fact that each so-called accident puts you in the line of ill affordable mass of restitution bills, compensation claims, hiked insurance premiums and general re-start headaches; and a permanently damaged business reputation.

Mind you, people will cotton on faster if we had a clear cut policy and practice of enforcement of health and safety regulations in this country. Things would work better, boundaries and limitations would be more apparent and consequences will be obvious, but not here, not yet anyway. For now, it's free-for-all practice which in turn promotes quackery and unprofessionalism. The country and people are short-changed; accidents remain prevalent while business and economy suffer irretrievably.

Yet we holler blue murder, never again and similar fatuous statements each time the next structure collapses or 50+ travelers are roasted on the road, a huge inferno lays a multi-billion modern market to ruin, or an unsecured container falls off a low bed trailer and flattens an unfortunate young family travelling alongside it, etc.

It's been said elsewhere severally and repeatedly that God especially loves Nigeria - I'm not about to argue with that. For where else on this planet would you find a place where safety is left to hope than experience?

Stay safe. It is your only chance.

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