Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has hinted at the possible return of the state-wide monthly sanitation exercise.
He made this remark during an inspection on Friday, September 22, while assessing various areas of the state to ensure compliance with the government’s environmental sanitation initiatives.
The governor expressed displeasure at the continued disregard for environmental laws, especially those trading under the bridges and roadsides.
He restated his administration’s zero tolerance for illegal trading on roads, bridges, and setbacks across the metropolis.
Sanwo-Olu also urged commercial bus drivers to comport themselves and stay within the garages allocated to them.
He said,
“We need to do a bit of road clean up, but business owners in the areas we visited have given their commitment to henceforth keep their environment clean at all times.
“We also went under the Apongbon Bridge to see what is happening there, especially given the unfortunate incident of last year. Let me reiterate the government’s zero-tolerance policy for trading under the bridges in Lagos.
“Our commercial bus drivers also need to comport themselves, they need to organise themselves and stay within the parking garages that have been allocated to them. The ones at Apongbon are well-behaved, and we hope they will continue like this.”
The Governor, who also visited the Lagos-Badagry Expressway under construction, said illegal occupants, traders and squatters who have been cleared off the road will lose their properties and means of livelihood should they return to the corridor.
Sanwo-Olu, who had one-on-one engagements with residents and traders along the route, assured that the Doyin section of the highway would be properly reconstructed after the rainy season. He, however, directed the Lagos State Public Works department to ensure continued palliative maintenance on the failed section.
“It will be zero tolerance for encroachment on our right-of-way by anybody. We will not allow ejected traders return; those who want to return should be prepared for forfeiture of their goods. All the cabinet members that have responsibility in this regard have been instructed to continue this cleanup exercise. We will stop this bad habit and reckless behaviour, while ensuring that we bring back environmental sanity.”
He warned that any form of resistance would be met with stiff force.
“I will also be consulting with the Ministry of Environment to see if it’s possible to re-introduce the monthly environmental sanitation, so we can bring back the sanity of a liveable city that we used to know. We have seen a lot of lopsidedness and recklessness, and we need to curtail all abuses on our environment. We will work out a model to sustain our zero tolerance on environmental and transportation infractions.”
The governor moved from Marina to Orile Iganmu, Alaba Suru, Mile 2, and down to Apongbon. He was accompanied by Commissioners Tokunbo Wahab (Environment); Gbenga Omotoso (Information and Strategy); Seun Osiyemi (Transportation); and Sola Giwa (SA Transport), among other government functionaries.
