The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday read the riot act to residents who litter the drains and remove manholes, saying a stop must be put to such a habit.
Governor Sanwo-Olu urged all Lagos residents to take action by prioritising environmental cleanliness in their daily lives.
He spoke at Campos playground, Odunlami Street when he flagged off a community-based environmental sanitation awareness programme.
The Governor, who expressed dismay at the level of littering of drains he observed while touring some streets on Lagos Island, advised that it is high time all residents embraced good environmental habits to avoid any form of disease breakout in the state.
The Governor, in company of his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, also lamented that on the streets he visited, most of the manholes have been removed and littered with refuse.
He said the awareness/sensitisation campaign will be taken round all the 57 local governments and local council development areas to ensure that the initiative is embraced by every member of the community while ensuring that Lagosians have access to a clean, safe, flood free and sustainable environment.
He added that LAWMA officials would soon commence the distribution of waste bags and waste bins to tenements across the state to.aid the proper bagging of refuse.
He promised that a gang made up of officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and that of the Environment would be constituted to tackle the issue of manhole removal.
The Governor hinted that he would lead the Members of the State Executive Council every weekend to clean streets, neighbourhoods, desilt drainages and ensure evacuation of waste, adding that the exercise would be a continuous culture before a decision is taken on the resumption of the Monthly Sanitation Exercise.
Sanwo-Olu said the day, which coincides with the annual Tree planting Day, which is celebrated globally on July 14, encourages residents to embrace tree planting culture, stressing that trees are not just for beautification but to regulate temperature and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the awareness on the re-introduction sanitation exercise was pertinent in order to promote a clean and healthy environment as well as encourage community participation in waste management to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
Wahab said: “As we all know that the Monthly Environmental Sanitation was a culture in Lagos State some years back, as such, the awareness of the re-introduction of the exercise in the State is going to be another bold step of the present administration.”
He said undertaking the sanitation of the environment provides a ground for people to become hygienic for the safeguard of their health, which will also increase the life-span of residents through the promotion of cleanliness.
He said with the government’s effort to create awareness and sensitise the citizens on the re-introduction of the exercise, all residents are encouraged to imbibe the culture of cleaning their homes, surroundings, drainages in front of their tenements and streets.
He added that Lagos State Waste Management Authority officials would always be on ground to collect bagged waste and dispose of it properly.
The event was witnessed by dignitaries, including the Chairman House Committee on the Environment, Hon. Olanrewaju Afinnih; Special Adviser on the Environment, Engr. Kunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretaries in Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen and Drainage Services and.Water Resources, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite.