Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, has described the level of environmental sanitation in the state despite government's interventions as "unacceptable," saying full weight of the law would henceforth be meted on offenders.
Sanwo-Olu, also directed relevant authorities, stakeholders, and residents to ensure planting of trees with 20,000 target in the next one year, as part of measures to mitigate the Climate Change effects which is currently ravaging the world with attendant consequences.
The governor made the remarks on Sunday, during the flag-off of the environmental sanitation exercise campaign and the annual tree planting events, held at Campus Square, and Lagos House, Marina, Lagos Island, respectively.
Wife of the Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi, members of the state executive council, body of permanent secretaries, chairmen of both Lagos Island East and Lagos Island, Alade Folawiyo,Prince Tijani Olusi, respectively, among others were also at the events.
Recall that the monthly environmental sanitation was a culture in Lagos State some years back in order to promote a clean and healthy environment, encourage community participation in waste management and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanwo-Olu, while expressing the need to keep a healthy environment to ward off all forms of diseases, called for cooperation of all residents and stakeholders in making the exercise a success.
According to the governor, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness. We cannot fold our arms and see our environment debased. Our hospitals are full of patients due to our unhygienic environment caused by
carefree attitude of residents.
"From what we have seen during monitoring of the environment earlier in the morning, its absolutely unacceptable the level of environmental nuisance such as: indiscriminate dumping of refuse in canals, removal of manholes on the road being perpetrated by some undesirable elements.
"It's a shame that our people engages in this act, vandalizing public utilities despite government's efforts and huge funding. This kind of people do not deserve to be among us.
"The Ministry of the Environment will set up gangs that will be saddled with the task of addressing the situation while environmental offenders will face the full weight of the law if caught.
"The era of uncleanliness is over in Lagos, that's why we are flagging-off this sensitization, advocacy campaign today from Lagos Island. This must start from homes, schools, markets, offices. Government can not do it alone, we have to work together.
"It is our goal today to further educate residents on the need to take ownership of their environment and ensure that they continuously clean surroundings, dispose waste responsibly while acknowledging that we must sustain this as our own contribution towards maintaining a sustainable environment.
"As a government, it is our collective responsibility that we develop strategic methods to improve the environment, ensure that it is flood free and make it conducive for residents and this can be achieved through the continuous cleaning of the environment from time to time.
"From next week Saturday, we will commence sensitization program where we will be on the road cleaning and desilting water channels on weekly basis.
"After exhaustive sensitization, enlightenment and advocacy exercise we will then make it a law to be carried out on monthly basis to ensure we can improve the physical cleanliness of our environment of a state we are proud of. Disease does not know the rich from the poor."
Sanwo-Olu, said about 200, 000 waste bins have been procured for refuse management and will be distributed to communities soon while Lagos State Waste Management Authourity, LAWMA, will be sharing waste bags of different colours and sizes across metropolis to enhance proper waste disposal culture that would also complement measures in preventing possible spread of diseases.
Also, as part of saving the environment, Sanwo-Olu said he has directed relevant authorities to ensure that 20,000 of trees are planted in the next one year as part of climate change effect mitigation measures.
"In the next one year, we want to plant 20,000 from the earlier targeted 5,000. I have given the marching order to relevant authorities inorder to ensure we mitigate climate change effects.
"The benefits that comes with this initiative are enormous. We want to work with councils and stakeholders and citizenry to achieve a cleaner, liveable environment," Sanwo-Olu stated.
Earlier, Wahab stressed that Lagos was considering re-introduction of the exercise due to the poor sanitation attitudes of residents such as: open defecation, blocking of drainage system, public assets vandalism, among others.
He urged Community Development Associations, CDA, Community Development Committee, CDC, market operators, among other stakeholders to take up the issues of environmental sanitation as top priority.
Wahab added that the state Executive Council members have agreed to commence weekly enlightenment, sensitization and advocacy campaigns across the metropolis as a prelude to eventual monthly environmental sanitation.
According to him, "I will like to say that this flag off of sensitization and enlightenment of environmental sanitation exercise in Lagos State is another bold step of the present administration towards improving the general well-being of the citizenry as well as bequeathing a safe, clean, flood free and sustainable environment to the people of the state in line with T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda.
"Mr. Governor, your profound interest in ensuring that every residents has access to a conducive and liveable environment is highly commendable.
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"The monthly environmental sanitation was a culture in Lagos State some years back in order to promote a clean and healthy environment, encourage community participation in waste management and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
"I will like to say that as the government embarks on this cleaning exercise, all residents are encourage to clean their homes, surroundings, drainages in front of their houses and streets while LAWMA officials would always be on ground to collect well bagged waste and dispose them properly.
"I want you to always bear in mind that undertaking the sanitation of our environment provides the ground for people to become hygienic for the safeguard of their health.
"It also increases the life-span of residents through the promotion of cleanliness in the environment they live in.
"Let me also seize this opportunity to say that all agencies under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources which include LAWMA, LASPARK, LASEPA, KAI among others would rejig every aspect of their activities and synergise in order to continually deliver a clean and healthy environment to the citizens of Lagos State.
"It is our belive that this initiative will ensure that flooding is reduced to the barest minimum for the good of people of the state.
"We can not continue to believe global warming is not real. Let us start planting a tree today to save the environment."
