Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Friday inaugurated government-owned International Standards Organisations (ISO) Certified environmental laboratory.
The ISO certified laboratory is situated at the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) building in Ikeja.
Speaking at the inauguration at Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu said that upgraded laboratory became necessary as a result of the growing population of the state.
Sanwo-Olu was represented at the event by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello.
He said that the ultra modern lab was needed to enhance the capacity of the agency to effectively deliver on its core mandate of monitoring the environment, for safety and sustainability.
According to him, re-equipping of the laboratory made it to earn the accreditation of the International Organisation of Standardisation for Quality Management System (ISO/IEC 9001) and Laboratory Management System (ISO/IEC 17025).
“It is quite heart warming that this recognition makes Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) the first government-owned environmental laboratory to receive this accreditation.
“This accreditation has given Lagos State a global recognition and acceptance, as results generated from this laboratory are consistent and accurate through the industry-standard protocols; and in line with best practices obtainable worldwide.
“I urge the management and staff of this agency, particularly those that would be charged with the responsibility of operating this laboratory, to do so with utmost professional care and high sense of responsibility.
“Our administration will continue to invest in projects that are consistent with our goal of ensuring a healthy, safe and sustainable environment.
“As we strive to bring about a more resilient and environmentally sustainable state, I look forward to a more purpose driven partnership with local and international bodies, academic institutions, researchers and non-governmental organisations,” he said.
In her welcome address, the General Manager, LASEPA, Dr Dolapo Fasawe, said that the agency’s functions and duties borders around the laboratory services.
Fasawe said that it served as the warehouse of all the data and information upon which the state of the environment in Lagos state is determined.
She said that as a result of this, an upgrade and standardisation of the laboratory processes was highly necessary.
According to her, the laboratory complex was constructed 32 years ago as a pollution control laboratory under the Governace of Raji Rasaki, as an arm of the Ministry of the Environment.
“However, during the Gov. Bola Tinubu regime, it metamorphosed into a full-fledged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) laboratory.
“It has a strategic footprint, sectioned into seven different laboratory services which includes potable water laboratory; waste water laboratory; land and soil laboratory; toxicology laboratory; microbiology laboratory; heavy metals laboratory; and air and noise laboratory.
“The current administration following symbiotically the aforementioned footprint in line with its THEMES agenda paid maximum priority on environmental monitoring, management and pollution control.
“The laboratory was then upgraded, through a carefully design-work, procurement of State-of-the-art environmental laboratory equipment and engineering processes according to the ISO standards and best practices,” she said.