Lagos State Government has clarified that the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation in the state will be held every last Saturday of the month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. but will be devoid of restrictions.

Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu made the clarification, at the weekend, during the “Symbolic Flag -Off of the Monthly Environmental Exercise in Lagos State,” held along Mushin-Agege Motor Road Corridor, Mushin.

He said that the observance would be the last Saturday of every month and would be monitored by state officials with appropriate sanctions meted out to sanitation offenders.

He added that the culture of environmental responsibility must become deeply embedded in residents’ lifestyles and all communities across the state.

According to him, environmental sanitation was in years past observed every last Saturday of the month, and it became a way of life where people planned and ensured that they come out on sanitation days to clean-up their environment.

“It was a moment when citizens across the country came together to clean their surroundings, clean their drains and contribute to a healthy environment across the metropolis,” he said.

“It’s a collective civic responsibility. You know that many Nigerians will remember, at least all of you that are old enough, that our monthly environmental sanitation exercise was once a national practice” he added.

He said the environmental sanitation exercise enforced a simple but important principle that a clean city depends not only on government but also on the discipline and cooperation of its citizens.

He recalled that there was a court judgment that brought an end to the restriction of movement that accompanied the exercise, saying that the Lagos State Government had always respected the rule of law, the courts and the authority of the courts.

He stressed that while the enforcement mechanism changed during environmental sanitation exercise, the responsibility of maintaining a clean environment did not change.

The governor stated that the condition on the streets, markets, the drainage channels, and public spaces reflected the seriousness that everyone must take responsibility for the environment that they all share.

He explained that in a city as large and dynamic as Lagos, maintaining a clean and healthy environment must remain a collective civic duty and responsibility that must remain with all residents.

He reiterated that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise is an opportunity for all residents to revive the culture of environmental consciousness in all communities and in society.

He added that following the reintroduction, the exercise will be driven by awareness, partnership and voluntary participation, saying the government will continue to strengthen the waste management system in the state.

He emphasised that the government would continue to improve the drainage infrastructure, support environmental enforcement across the state, adding that it must be a collective responsibility as the government cannot keep Lagos clean alone.

He noted that carelessly dumping waste on the streets and into the drains would make these infrastructures dilapidate, adding that actions as simple as disposing of materials, such as plastic bottles, woods, wrappers, solid wastes, among others, responsibly, can make a real difference.

He called on residents to imbibe the culture of regular environmental sanitation to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

He stated that the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise message must spread around the entire state for effective compliance, adding that residents must maintain a cleaner, safe, flood free and sustainable Lagos.

On his part, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the environmental sanitation flag-off is a bold step of the current administration towards improving the well-being of the citizenry, as well as bequeathing a safe, clean and sustainable environment to the people of the state.

Wahab stressed that the monthly environmental sanitation in years back was a culture in Lagos State to promote a clean and healthy environment, encourage community participation in waste management and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

He said that one of the goals of the exercise was to further educate residents on the need to take ownership of their environment and ensure that they continuously clean surroundings, dispose of waste responsibly and acknowledge that the culture is sustained.

The commissioner, therefore, warned residents with recalcitrant behaviours to be aware that the Lagos State 2017 Environmental Protection Law is still in place, adding that offenders caught will be dealt with in accordance with the law. (The Guardian, but headline rejigged )

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