Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has said that continuous environmental awareness is essential for maintaining a clean and healthy Lagos.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu, while speaking after monitoring the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held in Ikorodu, on Saturday, noted that it is important to continuously educate people on the need to comply with the rules of a cleaner environment.
She stated that repetition ensures compliance and lasting habit formation.
“Just like flight attendants remind passengers across all classes to fasten their seatbelts every time they board, continuous reminders are necessary to keep environmental hygiene at the forefront of public consciousness,” she said .
Acknowledging that the current challenges in the environment, particularly waste management, the First Lady expressed full confidence that the state will navigate the hurdles.
​She urged residents to imbibe personal hygiene within their local communities, homes, wards, schools, and markets, stressing that the awareness campaigns on the monthly environmental sanitation remains a path to lasting community cleanliness.
According to her “When we arrived in Ikorodu, we observed the cleanliness along the roads, especially in the market space and importantly we noticed our children, they had been here since 6 a.m, cleaning even before i came in, the waste management staff also were doing their own work, the sweepers were outside. So, all hands were on deck and then, the children and youth in the community also came out. So you see that they are all stakeholders in this environmental sanitation.
“And my message to them is that we should keep Lagos clean and not only wait until we have our environmental sanitation day the last Saturday of the month.”
She also mentioned that the government has introduced an environmental sanitation competition among all local government areas in the state as part of efforts to promote cleanliness and encourage healthy environmental practices.
The competition, according to her, will see the local government areas competing for recognition as the cleanest in Lagos State, with the winner expected to be announced soon.
Dr Sanwo-Olu who urged residents of Ikorodu to sustain the exercise commended the active participation of residents, particularly children, youths, market traders and environmental sanitation workers, who turned out early to clean their surroundings.
Also, Head of Service, Bode Agoro, has urged residents to stop dumping refuse into canals and drainage channels, warning that the practice undermines sanitation efforts and increases the risk of flooding.
Agoro, who monitored the October edition of the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Ikeja area of the state, said the exercise was the seventh since March, calling on local government chairmen and their executives to mobilise residents for improved environmental cleanliness.
He stressed that sanitation must be a continuous responsibility, noting that government officials observed residents dumping refuse into canals during the exercise.
According to him, the Ministry of the Environment has been notified to clear affected canals, while plans are also underway to reconstruct a canal in the area in consultation with the relevant drainage authorities.
The HoS, however, cautioned that clearing the canals would achieve little if residents continued to dispose of waste indiscriminately.
Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Mr Akeem Dauda, said the council had been sensitizing communities to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse into canals.
Dauda commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for sustaining the monthly sanitation exercise, describing it as an opportunity to mobilise residents and promote environmental responsibility.
The exercise in Ikeja covered Onilekere Street, Saidu Street, Olumo Street, Ijesha Close and Olúkòyà Street.
The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information and Strategy, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo and some COWLSO members participated in the exercise.
