The Lagos State Government on Sunday directed the immediate evacuation of waste generated during the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise, stating that this move is part of efforts to prevent flooding as the rainy season intensifies.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stressed that the operational teams had been mobilised across the state to clear refuse collected during the exercise without delay. At the same time, drainage channels and canals were also being cleared to reduce flood risks.
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“We are actively monitoring the situation across Lagos State and have directed our operational teams to ensure that every single waste generated during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise is cleared in record time,” Mr Wahab said in a statement posted on X.
According to him, personnel of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), ministry enforcement teams, private sector operators and local government councils were engaged in lifting waste from streets and other public spaces.
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“Beyond the clearance of the streets, the core objective of this exercise is to free our drainage channels, unclog our roadsides, and protect our canals from becoming illegal dumping grounds.
“We are clearing the drains simultaneously because this is the only sure path to securing our city against flooding as the rains continue to intensify. A clean environment is our first and most effective line of defence,” he noted.
Mr Wahab urged residents to sustain proper sanitation habits beyond the monthly exercise, saying environmental cleanliness requires shared responsibility between the government and citizens.
He also commended residents who participated in the sanitation exercise, describing public cooperation as critical to the government’s environmental management efforts.
Background
The renewed push comes two days after the Lagos State Government reaffirmed that the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise would hold on Saturday, insisting no court ruling had stopped the programme.
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The exercise, held between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., marked the return of the sanitation programme nearly a decade after it was suspended in 2016 following a court challenge over movement restrictions.
Mr Wahab had said the Court of Appeal upheld the laws supporting the implementation and enforcement of the exercise, dismissing claims that the programme lacked legal backing.
He also stated major transport unions agreed not to deploy vehicles from major parks during the sanitation period, while exemptions applied for emergencies, air travellers and candidates writing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examinations.
The ministry has maintained that persistent indiscriminate waste disposal, blocked drainage channels and recurrent flooding in parts of Lagos have made stronger community participation necessary.
