By Emmanuel Daniji

Advertisements

The Lagos State Government has warned residents against dumping refuse into canals and drainage channels, saying the practice increases the risk of flooding and makes it harder to keep communities clean.

The warning came during the October edition of the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise held on Saturday, October 31.

The exercise was monitored by the wife of the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, in the Ajina area of Ikorodu Local Government Area, while the Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, led the monitoring team in Ikeja.

Speaking in Ikorodu, Mrs Sanwo-Olu urged residents to make environmental cleanliness a daily habit rather than waiting for the last Saturday of every month to clean their surroundings.

She encouraged households, schools, markets and communities to take responsibility for keeping their environments clean. She also commended children, youths, traders and sanitation workers who participated in the exercise.

In Ikeja, Agoro disclosed that the October exercise was the seventh since the programme resumed in March.

He expressed concern that some residents were still dumping refuse into canals despite the government’s sanitation efforts.

According to him, the Ministry of the Environment had been informed about the affected canals, while plans were being made to reconstruct one of them in consultation with the relevant drainage authorities.

However, he warned that government efforts to clear and maintain drainage channels would achieve little if residents continued to use them as dumping grounds.

The Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Akeem Dauda, said the council had been sensitising residents on the dangers of dumping refuse in canals and other unauthorised locations.

The sanitation exercise covered Onilekere Street, Saidu Street, Olumo Street, Ijesha Close and Olúkòyí Street.

Meanwhile, the state government has introduced an environmental sanitation competition among the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas to encourage communities to maintain cleaner surroundings.

The initiative will see participating councils compete for recognition as the cleanest in Lagos State, with the winner expected to be announced soon.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, and members of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) also participated in the exercise.

The government said sustained public participation would remain important to its efforts to improve sanitation and reduce environmental risks across the state.