The Lagos State Government has tasked residents and stakeholders to embrace the state’s environmental policies for a cleaner and greener environment.
Dr Tajudeen Gaji, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, gave the advice at the Badagry division community stakeholders meeting on Tuesday in Lagos.
The event had as its theme: “Voluntary Compliance for a Greener Environment.”
Gaji said that the call was in line with the T.H.EM.E.S agenda of the Governor of Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, geared toward a cleaner and greener environment.
He noted that the environment mandate of Sanwo-Olu remains the primary duty of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).
This, he said, was because KAI was one of the agencies mandated to uphold and exhaust all operational resources toward achieving the goal of making the metropolis hygienic and habitable.
He added that hawking, street trading, indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains, gutters, canals, refusal to pay LAWMA-PSP waste bills by public and private buildings was a punishable offence.
Gaji said that the importance of the periodic interactive meetings with relevant stakeholders was pertinent to achieving voluntary compliance of the state’s message to the grassroots.
He also pledged the timely support of the agency toward its daily operational duties and improved service delivery at making Lagos clean and habitable.
Gaji charged the heads of sanitation departments in Badagry to renew their partnership with the Agency in ridding the state of environmental nuisances in the appropriate residential and public areas as part of a cogent collaboration.
“Also, our gallant operatives must be commended for their bravery, which is shown on the streets of Lagos on a daily basis.
“Voluntary compliance can be achieved through massive advocacy on traditional and new media and we have the public affairs unit to thank for spreading the word on television, radio and social media.
“The constitution of designated markets in the state falls under the purview of local government councils. In this vein, we implore our councils to be partners in progress.
“They should not give room for touts and unauthorised personnel to establish illegal markets, which contribute largely to littering of roads and blockage of drainages and canals.
“Most importantly, we enjoin the state market board to spread the gospel to our markets on the need to keep the designated market environs clean, patronise approve LAWMA-PSP operators and not encroach on the road setbacks,” he said.
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI) boss, Mrs Gbemisola Akinpelu, said the event’s theme was important to proffering solutions to improve the agency’s service delivery.
She said it in line with the mandate of maintaining a hygienic, cleaner environment and reducing environmental pollution to the barest minimum statewide.
“This stakeholders’ meeting will serve as a platform to providing solutions to maintaining a high level of hygiene in Lagos environs and obey the state’s environmental laws to achieve the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of the governor’s cleaner and greener vision,” she said.
