IBRAHIM QUADRI
As part of measures to restore environmental discipline and promote public health, the Lagos Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, flagged off the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
This new development marks the reintroduction of environmental sanitation after a decade-long suspension.
Addressing residents at the event held along the Mushin–Agege Motor Road in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu emphasised that a clean and healthy Lagos cannot be achieved by the government alone.
“A clean city is built by the daily actions of the people who live in it,” he said,
Govenror Sanwo-Olu urged all Lagosians to take personal responsibility for the state of their homes, neighbourhoods, markets and public spaces.
The governor noted that while the previous enforcement mechanism of movement restriction ended due to a court ruling, the civic responsibility to maintain cleanliness remains unchanged.
“This symbolic flag-off is a renewed call for environmental consciousness, voluntary participation, and partnership between government and citizens,” Sanwo-Olu added.
Highlighting the dangers of improper waste disposal, Sanwo-Olu warned that littering and blocked drains contribute to flooding, environmental degradation, and public health risks.
He called on Community Development Associations, market leaders, youth groups, and institutions across Lagos to lead by example and sustain a culture of cleanliness.
Sanwo-Olu also announced that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will now be observed every last Saturday of the month, from 6:30 am to 8:30 am starting from April 2026, urging residents to actively participate during these hours to ensure a cleaner Lagos.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, welcomed residents and dignitaries to the event, describing the exercise as a bold step under the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda to ensure a safe, flood-free, and sustainable environment.
Wahab said residents are expected to clean their homes and surrounding areas while officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) collect well-bagged waste for proper disposal.
The commissioner further assured that the Ministry including Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), and KAI, will coordinate to sustain a clean and healthy environment across the state.
Wahab also reminded residents that the state’s 2015 Environmental Law remains in force, warning against illegal waste disposal, burning refuse, trading on undesignated areas, and other environmental offences.
