The Lagos State Government has urged residents in the state to focus more on clearing of drains and canals in their respective areas during the monthly sanitation exercise scheduled to hold state-wide on Saturday, August 27, 2016 between 7am and 10am.

In a press release, the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, said the State government has stepped up activities on the cleaning and clearing of all drainages and canals across the State in view of recent predictions released by the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMET) and Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) on flooding and rainfall.

He said the Ministry is determined to surpass its past records of

flood abatement and avert any unforeseen circumstances caused by heavy rain that had characterised the previous years, adding that, “this can only be achieved through effective collaboration with the people”.

According to him, “Lagos being a coastal State with high water levels and flat terrain is susceptible to flooding. We must therefore imbibe habits which will reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of flooding, which has so far been contained in the State”.

The Commissioner advised residents to desist from illegal acts like dumping solid waste into drainages and canals, building on drainage alignments and patronising cart pushers in order to continuously sustain a flood-free Lagos, reiterating that all refuse should be disposed through LAWMA / PSP Operators.

While maintaining that there will be restrictions on human and vehicular movement across the State during the exercise, Adejare implored Lagosians to come out en-mass on Saturday to clean and clear the drains in their neighbourhood so as to ensure free flow of rain water, noting that “flash flooding maybe experienced in some part of the State, but would disappear within a short period of time after rainfall”.

He warned inter-state and luxurious bus operators, commercial transport and all other vehicle owners to comply with the restriction order on human and vehicular movement between 7.00am-10.00am, stating that anyone caught violating this order would be apprehended and prosecuted, while passengers in such vehicles would also be prosecuted according to the State’s Environmental Sanitation Laws.

The Commissioner assured the people of Lagos of the commitment and determination of the State Government to attain a sustainable, safe and clean environment, while soliciting their support for the present administration’s vision of a cleaner and healthier Lagos. He urged abstinence from bad environmental practices such as open defecation and urination, littering of the highways and roads amongst others.

•Photo shows Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos.