LAGESC  is committed to making the State cleaner and habitable for business, writes 

AJAYI LUKMAN

With over three million cars and 100,000 commercial vehicles on the roads (when the national average is 11 vehicles per kilometer), Lagos daily records an average of 227 vehicles per kilometer of roads. Lagos is home to about 2,000 industrial complexes, 10,000 commercial ventures, and 22 industrial estates.  

It accounts for over 60 percent of Nigeria’s industrial and commercial activities; 70 percent of national maritime cargo freight, over 80 percent of international aviation traffic, and over 50 percent of Nigeria’s energy consumption. All banks in the country are not only located in Lagos but also have their headquarters in the state. 

Aside from this, Lagos consumes about 45 percent of the petroleum products in the country. The above statistics are what make Lagos a unique economic and industrial hub in Nigeria and, indeed, Africa. It is what is partly responsible for the prosperity of Lagos. 

It is, however, ironic that this sheer uniqueness of Lagos, in terms of population and economic activities, portends great danger to its environment if not well managed. Lagos, for instance, generates 10,000 tonnes of waste daily, almost three times higher than what the whole of Ghana generates daily. 

Also, the kind of industrial pollution experienced in Lagos is second to none in the country. The peculiar Lagos traffic situation also poses a serious threat to the Lagos environment.

It is to address this that the Lagos State government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is preoccupied with environmental regeneration. The government is challenged to invest heavily in the environment because of the status of Lagos as a littoral state, which is greatly exposed to environmental abuse due to intense economic and social activities. 

Not only were agencies established for enforcing sanitation, but integrated mass enlightenment and social mobilization on maintenance of the sanitary environment have become ongoing activities in the state. It is equally perceptible that the state government is also taking a leading role in its approach to the climate change phenomenon through an integrated tree-planting drive across the state. 

In line with this principle, the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu, has been implementing the THEMES Plus development agenda, which focuses on promoting economic growth, improving the environment, and enhancing the quality of life for residents. 

A major pillar of this agenda is environmental sustainability. In this area, the state has shown an unwavering commitment by working tirelessly to maintain environmental sanity and promote a cleaner and more habitable state. This proactive stance underscores the government’s vision of transforming Lagos into a healthier and more livable megacity through bold policy initiatives and sustainable practices.

The government’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its efforts to promote a cleaner and more habitable environment will undoubtedly contribute to making Lagos a better place for its residents.

 A key agency driving this effort is the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI. Under the leadership of Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), the agency has been instrumental in enforcing the state’s environmental laws and promoting environmental awareness. 

In the past two years, the Agency has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to making the State cleaner and habitable for business. 

In July, LAGESC announced that more than 264 defaulters were arrested for offences bordering on open defecation, urination, and improper refuse disposal. 

While making the disclosure, Major Cole (rtd) reiterated the determination of the Agency to make Lagos habitable and cleaner for business via monitoring of all environs. He particularly stressed the readiness of LAGESC to eliminate environmental nuisances such as open defecation, open urination, street trading, indiscriminate waste disposal, roadside parking, displaying wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, curbs, and street begging, among others. 

One should also commend the Agency in its efforts to rid the metropolis of Styrofoam and Single-Use Plastics, as it recently recorded a joint seizure of N2.5M worth of Styrofoam food packs and SUPs during enforcement operations spanning some Lagos markets and shopping malls in the past week. 

The ban on Styrofoam is already in effect, and while the ban has also been extended towards single-use plastics, it was discovered via intelligence reports that there are traders in shopping malls and markets around the State who keep flouting the orders of the State.

This informed the decision to undertake enforcement operations in the Agege, Oshodi, Idunmota, Mushin, Victoria Island, and Lekki market areas, which resulted in a seizure of banned products worth N2.5M.

The harm caused by single-use plastics constitutes a negative threat to the coastal environment, and the dangers posed to public health cannot be overemphasised. 

Therefore, it is important for all concerned to embrace total compliance with the eradication of Styrofoam food containers and all kinds of polystyrene cups, including disposable cups that possess no recycling value due to their non-biodegradable nature, which poses harm to the environment. 

It is important to stress that LAGESC is also using the instrumentality of the law to effect attitudinal change to environmental issues. Recently, the agency secured the arrest and subsequent arraignment of eight environmental defaulters for charges bordering on breach of peace and public urination in the Yaba area of the State. 

By sentencing the defaulters to one-month imprisonment, the judgment has consolidated the level of deterrence to intending defaulters not to engage in acts of public indecency. 

Considering the negative impact and hazard that such harmful practices pose to the environment, it is quite heartening that LAGESC and other relevant agencies of government are working hard to tackle the menace.

No doubt, open urination, open defecation, and improper refuse disposal, among others, contribute to the subpar air quality in some parts of the State, just as indiscriminate waste disposal also significantly contributes to flash flooding. Therefore, the fact that KAI operatives have been strategically stationed across the State to arrest defaulting individuals is quite a commendable move.  

In view of the fact that the world is currently being plagued by many mysterious diseases, partly occasioned by poor sanitary attitudes and filthy environments, every resident of Lagos should be interested in the health of the metropolis. According to experts, except we change our attitude to the environment, more terrible diseases might soon be on the loose.

Looking at the huge population and metropolitan nature of Lagos, no doubt, the city could be more vulnerable when it comes to the spread of such deadly diseases as Lassa fever. This should be of serious concern to all residents of the metropolis. 

A healthy environment, built on sound environmental sanitation practices, is the cornerstone of human development, health, and economic prosperity. Proper environmental sanitation is essential for preventing the spread of diseases, promoting public health, and ensuring a high quality of life. 

Effective waste management, clean water supply, and adequate sewage disposal are critical components of environmental sanitation that directly impact human well-being. 

By maintaining a clean and healthy environment, communities can thrive and achieve sustainable development. In this context, environmental sanitation plays a vital role in supporting the overall health and prosperity of communities. 

This, of course, is why every Lagosian must support the quest of LAGSEC and other relevant agencies of government to sanitise and make the Lagos environment more livable. Together, we can achieve the ‘Greater Lagos’ of our collective aspiration. 

 Ajayi is Head, Public Affairs and Advocacy Unit, LAGESC, Oshodi, Lagos

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