Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State expressed deep concern over the state of environmental sanitation, emphasizing that offenders will face legal consequences. He also issued directives for the planting of over 20,000 trees within the next year to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The governor made these remarks during the launch of the environmental sanitation campaign and annual tree-planting events held at Campus Square and Lagos House, Marina, Lagos Island.
In his address, Governor Sanwo-Olu urged the cooperation of all stakeholders and residents to ensure the success of the sanitation exercise.
He stated, “Cleanliness is crucial for our well-being. We cannot ignore the degradation of our environment. Our hospitals are overwhelmed due to the unsanitary conditions caused by some residents’ careless actions.”
Highlighting the severity of the situation observed during earlier environmental monitoring, the governor condemned activities such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse in canals and vandalism of public utilities, describing them as shameful acts that undermine government efforts despite substantial investments.
“To address these challenges,” he announced, “the Ministry of the Environment will deploy teams to tackle these issues, and environmental offenders will face legal repercussions.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu stressed that the era of neglecting cleanliness in Lagos is over, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive sensitization and advocacy campaign starting from Lagos Island and reaching every home, school, market, and office.
He emphasized, “Government cannot tackle this alone; it requires collective effort. Today, our goal is to educate residents on taking ownership of their environment, maintaining cleanliness, and responsible waste disposal as essential contributions to sustaining a healthy environment.”
“As a government,” he added, “we are committed to implementing strategic measures to enhance environmental quality, prevent flooding, and create a conducive environment for all residents through regular environmental maintenance.”
Vanguard