The Lagos State Government (LASG) has initiated a crucial collaboration with the chairpersons of all 57 Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to bolster efforts toward creating a cleaner, flood-resilient, and sustainable environment across the state.
The strategic meeting, held in Alausa yesterday saw the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stress the necessity for every resident to integrate sound sanitation practices into their daily lives.
Wahab announced a shift in the state’s waste management approach, moving from a traditional “pick and drop” or linear system to one where waste is treated as a resource.
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He called for the complete cooperation of all LGAs/LCDAs to tackle environmental challenges and significantly reduce the volume of refuse directed to landfills.
The commissioner confirmed that the government is actively working to decommission the Olusosun and Soluos III landfills due to them having exceeded their operational lifespan, though other sites, such as the one in Epe, remain active.
He specifically tasked the council chairmen with educating residents on the dangers of improper waste disposal—including dumping refuse in open spaces, on roads, medians, drainages, and canals.
Wahab assured that the PSP waste operators remain functional in their collection duties, with the state, through the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), providing interventions as needed.
Addressing the persistent issue of flash flooding, the commissioner called for LGAs/LCDAs to join forces with the State to implement lasting solutions.
He noted that the state is continuously installing resilient infrastructure to combat flash flooding and urged the local councils to replicate these efforts at their level.
He further instructed the chairmen to utilise the resident engineers assigned to each council area to report and either resolve or escalate flood-related concerns.
In a key enforcement message, Wahab reiterated that the ban on street trading remains active, urging the council leaders to discourage this illegal activity.
He warned that the government’s inability to enforce its own laws could characterise the state as a “failed state.”
Sesan Olowa, the Executive Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government and Chairman of Conference 57, welcomed the engagement.
He affirmed that all 57 chairpersons are committed to ensuring a cleaner Lagos through effective waste management.
Olowa mentioned that some LGAs/LCDAs have already procured tricycles to conduct house-to-house waste collection in inner streets, thereby discouraging residents from disposing of waste on main roads and medians.
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He also appealed to the commissioner to facilitate collaboration among councils to establish mini Transfer Loading Stations (TLS) in their respective communities for easier waste management.
The meeting also saw the presence of high-ranking state officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin; the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi; and the Commissioner of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert.
