The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday hinted that the state may reintroduce monthly environmental sanitation.
He said the planned reintroduction of the exercise was due to what he described as the “appalling state” of uncleanliness observed in communities across the state.
This was as the governor kicked off a community based enlightenment and advocacy aimed at creating awareness about the need to encourage community participation in continuous sanitation and waste management, thereby reducing the risk of disease outbreaks.
The weekly action to sanitise the environment was flagged off at Campos Stadium, Lagos Island.
Sanwo-Olu urged compliance across communities in the state, noting that officers of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) would be deployed to collect all waste gathered in all areas for proper disposal.
He said: “We are here to start an enlightenment campaign given the appalling state of our environment, which is totally unacceptable. We are witnessing a rising level of environmental nuisance being constituted around our communities. We have seen heaps of refuse and the state of uncleanliness in the city. This event is to kick off a Statewide advocacy on improving physical cleanliness through continuous sanitation.
“We are using the sanitation in Lagos Island as a form of advocacy which we will push forward to the entire State on our plan to ensure we begin a collective action of ensuring cleanliness in our environment. This is important and we strongly believe it is something every citizen must be awakened to. This effort must start from our houses, schools, offices and markets.”
The Chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum decried what he called “deliberate sabotage” of drainage systems by those removing manhole covers on major roads, adding that such an act had compromised the mechanism put in place to protect drainage channels from silting.
“The conversation here is an enlightenment in which week after week, we will be going out to demonstrate our willingness to keep our environment clean. I believe we would, on our own as a people, see the need for us to start a monthly sanitation exercise.
“We cannot do it alone as a Government; we believe the community should support this effort to safeguard our environment and protect our future. I implore everyone to take the message back home that the era of uncleanliness and disregard for environmental regulations is coming to an end in Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The planned reintroduction of the exercise is coming nearly eight years after it was terminated by the state government in 2016.
According to the then Commissioner for Information, Steve Ayorinde, the decision to cancel the exercise,which usually holds between 7am and 10am on the last Saturday of every month, was adopted at the state Executive Council Meeting.
The commissioner explained that it was agreed by members that it was no longer appropriate to restrict movement of people for three hours in a megacity like Lagos.
“The government noted that considering the present economic situation in the country, it was no longer appropriate to restrict movement of people for three hours in a mega city like Lagos at a time they should be pursuing commercial and entrepreneurial activities,” he had said in a statement.
“In the last two decades, Lagos has grown exponentially into a mega city with the attendant huge environmental problems associated with managing a population of over twenty million people.
“But sadly, the environmental laws, policies and procedures being practiced in the state have not been able to match the phenomenal growth and the dream of a 24-hour economy, hence the need for the reform.”
Ayorinde noted that the government would accelerate the introduction of fresh environmental reforms.
“After a careful consideration, the state executive council has therefore resolved that the present economic climate can no longer support the continued lock down of a mega city like Lagos, when the citizens should be free to engage in commercial and entrepreneurial activities that can promote economic growth and prosperity,” he said.
“Furthermore, government will also accelerate the introduction of fresh reforms through the passage of the new harmonized environmental laws that will drive meaningful changes in areas of harmonized billing, waste management, modern Landfill sites, noise pollution, introduction of an Environmental Trust Fund and an Environmental Advisory Council.”