The Lagos State government has suspended the planned implementation of ₦150,000 safety audit fees for tech hubs and co-working spaces.
The fee comprises a ₦50,000 ($115.92) documentation fee and a ₦100,000($231.84) certification fee payable to LASG Safety’s account.
The audit which was slated to be carried out between September and November 2022 by by Aquicorn Projects was received with several criticisms from many who believe the government would be stifling innovation by taxing the growing tech ecosystem.
However, announcing the suspension in a statement, the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC) said the decision to charge for safety was not motivated by revenue generation but to cover the cost of safety audits on every facility in the state. It added that it was suspending the fee to engage with facility owners in the state.
“The growth of co-working spaces is a global phenomenon that is welcomed and encouraged in the State. However, the proliferation of these value-creating entities inadvertently has led to several workplace-related injuries and safety hazards including ill-equipped electrical wiring systems, over-capacity of facilities as well as landlord-tenant disputes related to equipment safety operations such as generator management activities.
“To forestall these rising incidents, the Safety Commission commenced the safety inspections of all co-working spaces in the year 2020 in the State to identify potential hazards and proffer solutions to mitigate such whilst enring a safe working environment for all as carried out in other domains such as restaurants, cinemas, supermarkets, etc.”
“The Safety Audit fee is not arbitrary. This fee is statutorily associated with facilities that engage and welcome members of the public beyond a certain footfall in many business and civic sectors. These include cinemas, restaurants, event spaces, schools, clubs, etc.
“This fee is in no way underpinned by a revenue-generating philosophy but is however a fee to cover the resultant costs from safety inspections and audits with experts and specialized equipment. It is NOT and will not ever be revenue generating fee. Additionally, the Safety Commission’s number one priority is to ensure the safety of residents in their use of these facilities,” it added.
“Consequently, to ensure adequate stakeholder engagement and representation, the Commission wishes to suspend the planned audit whilst providing further necessary training sessions with the facility owners,” the Commission stated.
Source: Nairametrics
