........As Mr Governor and his Deputy leads State officials to clean up Mushin Corridor.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo - Olu on Saturday announced the re-introduction of the Monthly Environmental Sanitation in the State.
Sanwo Olu said the exercise will hold every last Saturday of the Month between the hours of 6:30 - 8:30am but would be devoid of restrictions.
He said the observance will be on the last saturday of every month and would be monitored by state officials with appropriate sanctions meted to Sanitation offenders.
He made this pronouncement during the "Symbolic Flag - Off of the Monthly Environmental Exercise in Lagos State" held along Mushin Agege Motor Road Corridor, Mushin, adding that the culture of environmental responsibility must become deeply embedded in residents life styles and all communities across the state.
According to him, Environmental Sanitation was in years past observed every last Saturday of 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 come 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 on the discipline and the 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 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.
He stated that the condition on the streets, markets, the drainage channels, and public spaces reflected the seriousness that everyone must take responsibilities 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 which 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 the communities and in the society.
He added that following the reintroduction, the exercise will be driven by awareness, partnership andzz voluntary participation saying the Government will continue to strengthen waste management system in the State.
He emphasized that government would continue to improve the drainage infrastructure, support environmental enforcement across the state adding that it must be a collective responsibility as government cannot keep Lagos clean alone.
He noted that carelessly dumping waste on the streets and into the drains would make these infrastructure dilapidate adding that actions as simple as disposing off 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 as this will prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
He stated that
the re - introduction 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.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab said the Environmental Sanitation flag-off is a bold step of the present 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 mentioned that the exercise is in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda that highlights that every Lagosian must have access to a conducive and liveable environment.
He 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.
"Government is re-introducing the cleaning exercise and residents are encouraged to clean their homes, surroundings, drainages in front of their houses and streets while LAWMA officials would always be on ground to collect well bagged waste and dispose them properly" he said.
Wahab said one of the goals of the exercise is to further educate residents on the need to take ownership of their environment and ensure that they continuously clean surroundings, dispose waste responsibly and acknowledge that the culture is sustained.
"As a government, it is our collective responsibility to continually develop strategic methods to improve the environment, ensure that it is flood free and make it conducive for residents and this can be achieved through the continuous cleaning of the environment from time to time" he said.
He 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.
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