First Bank partners LAWMA to launch new sweepers’ uniform
By The Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), in collaboration with First Bank of Nigeria Plc, has launched new 16,000 uniforms for sweeping workers of the authority across the state. LAWMA has 25,000 workers.
The uniform transition is a departure from the old orange to a new lemon-green colour, which is a total rebranding of LAWMA’s image for strategic purposes.
The new uniform is part of First Bank’s initiative to support the Lagos State Government and LAWMA for the cleanliness of the state and safety of the sweepers against road accidents.
The partnership with the private sector saw First Bank involvement to ensure the safety of LAWMA workers through its corporate social responsibility drive.
It also saw First Bank, as going beyond its traditional responsibility of lending and investment efforts just to ensure reduction in mortality rate of its host communities.
LAWMA, on the other hand, sees First Bank’s initiative as a welcomed and applauded development, as it hopes for more of such collaborations in the future.
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Speaking at the launch in Lagos recently, Hakeem Akinleye, MD/CEO, LAWMA, said the collaboration with First Bank is remarkable to ensure reduction of mortality rate of road accidents, which had claimed many lives of road sweepers in the last one year across the state.
Akinleye pointed out that First Bank has a character of giving back to the society based on the uniform, which the bank has demonstrated through its corporate social responsibility. He hopes to see the bank collaborate more with the authority to improve the economic lives of the workforce.
“The private sector, especially First Bank recognizes our services. First Bank has done well with this noble gesture. We want to see more economic impact on our staff as well”, Akinleye said.
The LAWMA boss noted that rebranding of the uniform is a second phase to improve road visibility at night among motorists to minimize the mortality rate of sweepers caused by road accidents.
Akinyele explained that the new uniform has visibility effects for road users to see, so as to drive carefully, especially when they notice sweepers at work.
He mandated all the workers to return the old orange uniform to the office as a condition of collecting the new one for recycling purposes.
On his part, Adesola Adedunta, managing director, First Bank PLC, who is represented by Seyin Oyifesan, noted that LAWMA is one of the most important workforce in Lagos State saddled with the duty of ensuring a safe and clean environment.
Oyifesan explained the rationale behind the collaboration with the authority, saying that the safety of the sweepers is of concern to the bank.
“Importantly, the sweepers on the roads of Lagos risk their lives on major highways to ensure they are clean. We at First Bank have decided to lend support to the government and LAWMA by providing this uniform to reduce mortality rate.”
First Bank entered into the partnership with LAWMA to support the organisation’s effort of sustaining the friendly environment of the state.
The bank’s boss stressed that beyond making money, the bank invests its resources and time to improve the lives of its host communities.
He further stated that the provision of the sweeper uniform is a way of ensuring that the essential workers do their job happily and securely and assured that the collaboration with LAWMA would sustain.
Tijani Olorunwa, CTO/EA, LAWMA, thanked First Bank for its gesture and asked the company to do more.
He acknowledged the challenging and risky nature of sweepers’ job, noting that First Bank’s collaboration with LAWMA in the provision of the new uniform would minimize mortality rate on highways among the workers.
The launch witnessed the celebration of six men and women supervisors of the authority from across Lagos for their responsibility in keeping the state.