THE Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) officials is set to begin distributing waste bags and bins to tenants throughout the state.
This initiative was announced in a statement released yesterday by the Lagos Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources
According to the statement attributed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the launch of a community-based environmental sanitation awareness program at Campos Playground, Odunlami Street, the distribution aims to facilitate the proper disposal of refuse across Lagos State.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while addressing residents who litter drains and remove manhole covers, emphasized the need to end such practices.
Encouraging residents to prioritize environmental cleanliness in their daily routines, the governor expressed concern about the high level of drain littering and stressed the importance of adopting good environmental practices to prevent disease outbreaks in the state.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, accompanied by his deputy Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, decried the removal of manhole covers and littering of streets with refuse.
He announced plans to carry out an awareness and sensitization campaign in all 57 local governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to ensure community-wide adoption of the initiative, with the goal of providing Lagosians with a clean, safe, flood-free, and sustainable environment.
He also mentioned assembling a team comprising officials from the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the Environment to address the issue of manhole cover removal.
Furthermore, Sanwo-Olu pledged to lead the executive council members in cleaning streets, neighborhoods, desilting drainages, and ensuring waste evacuation on weekends as a continuous cultural practice until a decision is made on resuming the Monthly Sanitation Exercise.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, marking the occasion yesterday, also known as the annual Tree Planting Day, encouraged residents to embrace tree planting not just for beautification but also to regulate temperature and combat the effects of climate change.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab while speaking emphasized the importance of spreading awareness about the reintroduction of the sanitation exercise to promote a clean and healthy environment.
Wahab highlighted that fostering community participation in waste management is crucial for reducing the risk of disease outbreaks and ensuring public health and hygiene.
Residents were urged to embrace cleanliness by regularly cleaning their homes, surroundings, and drainages as LAWMA officials will be available to collect and dispose of bagged waste.