Lagos Residents Urged To Participate In May Sanitation Exercise

The Lagos State Government has called on residents to remain indoors on Saturday morning as it rolls out its monthly environmental sanitation exercise, part of a renewed campaign to keep Nigeria’s commercial hub clean and flood-free.

The exercise, scheduled to hold between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., will see residents devote time to cleaning their homes, streets, drainage channels, and surrounding public spaces.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the sanitation initiative is designed to promote a culture of environmental responsibility while tackling waste management challenges across the state.

According to him, the government was encouraged by the level of participation recorded during the previous exercise and is expecting even greater compliance this month.

He urged Lagosians to take ownership of their immediate environment, stressing that cleaner communities contribute to better public health and a safer living environment.

The monthly sanitation programme, which returned in April after years of inactivity, forms a key part of the state’s strategy to curb flooding, improve waste disposal practices, and strengthen environmental sustainability.

Officials say blocked drainage systems remain one of the leading causes of flooding in many parts of the city.

To support the exercise, the government has deployed waste evacuation trucks and sanitation personnel across the state to ensure refuse collected during the clean-up is promptly removed. Monitoring teams will also be stationed across all 57 local government and local council development areas to assess compliance.

As part of the oversight effort, Lagos First Lady, Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, is expected to lead a monitoring team in Alimosho, while Head of Service, Olabode Agoro, will supervise activities in Apapa.

Authorities warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the patronage of illegal waste collectors, noting that environmental enforcement officers will be on the ground to ensure adherence to sanitation regulations.

Property owners who fail to maintain clean surroundings risk receiving abatement notices and could face prosecution under existing environmental laws.

With the rainy season underway, the government says the sanitation drive is more than a routine exercise, it is a critical step toward creating a cleaner, healthier and more resilient Lagos.

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