Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has given his approval for the reintroduction of monthly environmental sanitation exercises in the state.
This decision was disclosed by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who stated that the State Executive Council has also endorsed the reintroduction.
“The Lagos governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the state executive council have approved the re-introduction of the monthly sanitation. The governor will announce it officially for the exercise to commence this month,” Wahab said in a statement shared on the Lagos State Environmental Update page.
The monthly environmental sanitation, which was previously discontinued in 2016, used to be held for three hours on the last Saturday of every month with restrictions on movement.
The decision to cancel it was part of a broader reform agenda aimed at addressing the environmental challenges of managing a rapidly growing city with over 20 million residents.
Recent flooding in major parts of Lagos due to heavy rains may have influenced the decision to reintroduce the exercise. On July 3, 2024, a 10-hour downpour led to severe flooding, causing disruptions to business activities, vehicular movement, and daily life across various areas in Lagos and Ogun states.
Despite the government’s statement that the rain lasted nine hours, some areas experienced continuous rainfall from midnight until noon, lasting up to 12 hours.
Flooded locations included Berger, Ikeja, Ogba, Iyana-Oworo, Agege, Ijegun-Isheri Osun, Gbagada, Lagos Island, Eredo, Bojije, Epe, Sangotedo, Ibeju-Lekki, Awoyaya, Labora, and Abijon.
The reintroduction of monthly environmental sanitation aims to mitigate such challenges by enhancing the city’s preparedness and response to environmental issues.
