In a meeting convened by Tokunbo Wahab to address solid waste management, the Lagos State Government has officially initiated the strict enforcement of a ban on the use and sale of Styrofoam containers within the state. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources emphasized the urgency of this measure, stating that the detrimental effects of Styrofoam on public health and the environment necessitate immediate action.
Effective immediately, enforcement teams comprised of LAGESC/KAI officers, Environmental Health Officials, LAWMA Police, and Ministry representatives will conduct inspections across all markets, confiscating any Styrofoam containers found in shops or outlets. Wahab stressed the imperative for market leaders to prioritize cleanliness, highlighting the inherent responsibility to maintain a sanitary environment.
Expressing concern over the unsanitary conditions prevalent in many markets, Wahab acknowledged the recent closure of certain markets due to substandard hygiene practices. He underscored the government’s reluctance to resort to such measures, attributing the closures to the negligent conduct of market executives.
Furthermore, Wahab lamented recent instances of hostility towards government officials tasked with enforcing environmental regulations in markets. He urged cooperation from all stakeholders to uphold sanitation standards and ensure the well-being of residents across Lagos State.
“I will like to appeal to all our traders to desist from selling on the railway lines and all the roads. Also,we must stop littering our market with wastes. We must segregate our wastes in our respective markets; bag our wastes and ensure we patronize PSP operators,” he said.
“I will like to appeal to all our traders to desist from selling on the railway lines and all the roads. Also,we must stop littering our market with wastes. We must segregate our wastes in our respective markets; bag our wastes and ensure we patronize PSP operators,” he said.
The Commissioner stressed the imminent commissioning of the Red Rail line by the state government within a few weeks, highlighting its operation from dusk till dawn. He cautioned against trading activities on railway lines, citing significant risks to lives associated with such practices.
In earlier remarks, the Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, underscored the responsibility of market leaders to uphold cleanliness standards within their respective marketplaces. He emphasized the need to discourage roadside vending and condemned the emergence of illegal markets appointing separate leaders for splinter groups, highlighting such actions as violations of state environmental laws.
Rotimi-Akodu urged market leaders to ensure the availability of functional public toilets and to combat open defecation, which poses a threat to environmental health. He called for an end to indiscriminate refuse dumping in markets.
Additionally, in his welcome address, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegeshin, Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), underscored the significance of the meeting in aligning government efforts with the THEMES plus Agenda for effective waste management in all markets. He recalled the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards filth and indiscriminate waste disposal, emphasizing the overarching goal of making Lagos a clean and healthy city conducive for all residents.
“I must note again, that all government’s effort in the area of effective waste management, is to build a people-friendly environment, that guarantees happiness and good health for all residents” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Iyaloja General, Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iya-oja of Lagos Island, Mrs. Risikat Abeje Lasisi, affirmed their commitment to maintaining daily market sanitation practices. She pledged the association’s full cooperation with the State government, expressing readiness to implement all proposed methods aimed at ensuring cleanliness across markets and their surroundings.
