The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, is set to lead top government officials in witnessing the commencement of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise today at the Ikoyi Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
Commissioner Clarifies Legal Status of Sanitation Exercise
Speaking during a media briefing on the modalities for the environmental sanitation exercise, which holds every last Saturday of the month, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, stated that no court pronouncement has invalidated the exercise. He reiterated that the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation will be held statewide between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., urging residents to participate en masse.
Wahab emphasized that contrary to some opinions that a court judgment canceling the exercise years ago is still in force, the state proceeded to the Court of Appeal and obtained a favorable judgment. The court affirmed that the laws used for implementation and enforcement are legitimate and constitutional.
“It is very disingenuous on anybody’s part to be misapplying facts and misleading the public, and that is why we are calling on Lagosians to disregard those persons,” he said. He stressed that it is now time for everyone to handle environmental issues with zest and determination.
Environment as a Superstructure for Survival
Wahab described the environment as the superstructure on which the survival of other sectors rests, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure its sustainability. According to him, “We have thought this out properly; we have planned this for over a year, and we have said to ourselves, we cannot keep complaining and not take responsibility and action.”
The commissioner said residents cannot keep complaining and blaming the government while shirking their responsibilities. He added that care for the environment is a collaborative project between the government and citizens. Residents must take the initiative and ownership to build a culture of cleanliness, as over time, the cleanliness culture has been neglected, and people have condoned living in dirty and despicable environments.
He stated that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will become a tradition, similar to the weekly market sanitation observed in all Lagos markets on Thursdays between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. “Why can’t we take two hours in 30 or 31 days in a month to do the cleanup? That is a question we should ask ourselves; we cannot keep saying ‘this place is smelly, that place is dirty.’ It is a responsibility on us, and let us participate,” he urged.
Transport Unions Support the Exercise
Wahab informed residents that major transport unions in the state, which account for about 90 percent of vehicles on the road, have demonstrated their support by pledging not to deploy their vehicles from major parks or terminals between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. “If government vehicles say they are not moving because they want people to engage in that program, what will it cost us to just stay at home and then clean up our environment for just two hours?” he asked.
The commissioner said the state deliberately chose the time between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. to allow residents to still go out after 8:30 a.m. for their daily activities. He noted that there are exceptions for people with emergencies, those with scheduled flights, and students taking JAMB exams, who will not be stopped. He assured that the Lagos State government is not unreasonable in its decisions.
Enforcement and Waste Management
Environmental health and enforcement officers have been empowered by law to monitor and inspect properties during the exercise. Any property found to be dirty will be served an abatement notice. The commissioner also assured Lagosians that LAWMA has been fully mobilized and will deploy men and equipment to ensure quick evacuation of waste generated during and after the exercise.
Private Sector Collaboration
Also speaking, the Head of Geocycle, Lafarge Africa PLC, Ms. Temitope Dosunmu, said Lafarge Africa is ready to collaborate with the state government for a cleaner future and zero waste vision. She explained that the collaboration focuses on improving waste management systems, starting from efficient collection and proper sorting to handling non-recyclable materials responsibly. Rather than allowing waste to harm the environment, waste recovered during the exercise will be transported to Lafarge’s facilities, where it will be carefully processed and transformed into valuable resources. This innovative approach will reduce environmental pollution and convert waste into useful materials.
