Lagos State Government Clarifies Reintroduction of Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise
The Lagos State Government has provided detailed clarification regarding the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state, confirming it will be held every last Saturday of the month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. but will not involve any movement restrictions. Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu made this important announcement during the weekend at the "Symbolic Flag-Off of the Monthly Environmental Exercise in Lagos State," which took place along the Mushin-Agege Motor Road Corridor in Mushin.
Governor Sanwo-Olu Emphasizes Collective Civic Responsibility
Governor Sanwo-Olu explained that the observance will occur on the last Saturday of each month and will be closely monitored by state officials, with appropriate sanctions applied to sanitation offenders. He stressed that the culture of environmental responsibility must become deeply embedded in the lifestyles of all residents and across every community in Lagos State. According to the governor, environmental sanitation was historically observed every last Saturday of the month, becoming a way of life where people planned and ensured they participated in cleaning their environments.
"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," Governor Sanwo-Olu stated. "It's a collective civic responsibility. Many Nigerians will remember, at least all of you that are old enough, that our monthly environmental sanitation exercise was once a national practice."
Respecting Court Judgments and Changing Enforcement Mechanisms
The governor highlighted that the environmental sanitation exercise enforces a simple but crucial principle: a clean city depends not only on government efforts but also on the discipline and cooperation of its citizens. He recalled that a court judgment previously brought an end to the movement restrictions that accompanied the exercise, noting that the Lagos State Government has always respected the rule of law, the courts, and judicial authority.
Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized that while the enforcement mechanism has changed during the environmental sanitation exercise, the responsibility of maintaining a clean environment remains unchanged. He stated that the condition of streets, markets, drainage channels, and public spaces reflects the seriousness with which everyone must take responsibility for the shared environment.
Driving Awareness, Partnership, and Voluntary Participation
In a city as large and dynamic as Lagos, maintaining a clean and healthy environment must remain a collective civic duty and responsibility for all residents, the governor explained. He reiterated that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise provides an opportunity for all residents to revive the culture of environmental consciousness in every community and across society.
Following the reintroduction, the exercise will be driven by awareness, partnership, and voluntary participation, with the government continuing to strengthen the waste management system in the state. Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized that the government will persist in improving drainage infrastructure and supporting environmental enforcement across Lagos, but stressed that it must be a collective responsibility as the government cannot keep Lagos clean alone.
Commissioner Wahab Warns Offenders and Promotes Clean Culture
On his part, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, described the environmental sanitation flag-off as a bold step by the current administration toward improving the well-being of citizens and bequeathing a safe, clean, and sustainable environment to the people of Lagos State. Commissioner Wahab stressed that the monthly environmental sanitation in years past was a cultural practice in Lagos State to promote a clean and healthy environment, encourage community participation in waste management, and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
One of the primary goals of the exercise is to further educate residents on the need to take ownership of their environment, ensure continuous cleaning of surroundings, dispose of waste responsibly, and acknowledge that this culture must be sustained. The commissioner issued a stern warning to residents with recalcitrant behaviors, reminding them that the Lagos State 2017 Environmental Protection Law remains in effect, and offenders caught will be dealt with according to the law.
Governor Sanwo-Olu called on residents to imbibe the culture of regular environmental sanitation to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. He noted that carelessly dumping waste on streets and into drains causes infrastructure to deteriorate, adding that simple actions like responsibly disposing of materials such as plastic bottles, woods, wrappers, and solid wastes can make a real difference. The governor concluded that the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise message must spread throughout the entire state for effective compliance, urging residents to maintain a cleaner, safer, flood-free, and sustainable Lagos.
