First Lady of Lagos State Dr Ibijoke Sanwo‑Olu urged residents to be patient as the state government steps up its response to the ongoing waste‑management crisis, speaking while monitoring the sixth edition of the re‑introduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Mafoluku, Oshodi‑Isolo Local Government Area on Saturday.
Accompanied by Deputy Governor’s wife Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, Special Adviser on Environment Mr Olakunle Rotimi‑Akodu, officials from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Sanwo‑Olu inspected streets including Ajibulu, Oluyeye, Olowora, Eweje, Ayinde and Ola‑Ore.
“My plea to Lagosians is to be patient. It is a work in progress. We are all working towards ensuring that we keep Lagos clean, and I hope that with this reminder and the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, they will remember the importance of keeping our environment clean,”
She added that the government is focusing on household and community waste sorting, urging residents to separate recyclable, dry and wet waste to simplify collection and management.
Residents of Olowora and Eweje streets, however, complained that refuse had piled up for about six months despite regular payment of Private Sector Participation (PSP) collection bills, calling on the state to ensure prompt evacuation to avoid health hazards. Dr Sanwo‑Olu acknowledged the need for a more responsive LAWMA, praised women and children who participated in the exercise, and stressed that proper sanitation at the grassroots is essential to prevent communicable diseases. The monthly exercise, re‑introduced by the Lagos State Government, aims to encourage greater resident responsibility while complementing official waste‑management efforts across Nigeria’s most populous city.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
