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Tag: environment

  • Lagos environment officials arrest ‘miscreants for extorting residents’ using makeshift bridge

    Lagos environment officials arrest ‘miscreants for extorting residents’ using makeshift bridge

    Operatives of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps on Wednesday, July 3, arrested some miscreants in the Ojo area of the state for exploiting pedestrians seeking to use the walkway under the bridge, demanding N100 from each person.

    The Lagos Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab confirmed their arrest.

    Following the heavy downpour on Wednesday, a viral video on X showed the moment some miscreants in the Ojo area of the state extorted pedestrians, and passersby seeking to use the walkway under the bridge.

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    An X user who identifies as ARISE0214 shared the video with the caption: “This is what the construction company has caused along Lagos-Badagry Expressway

    “While the construction is going on, they should provide temporary access routes for the citizens where there are no pedestrian bridges to avoid all this.”

    In an update on his “X” page, Wahab said: “Following a complaint made by @ARISE0214, miscreants charging people for using the makeshift crossover bridge at Tradefair this morning have been arrested by the operatives of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial.

    “They will be prosecuted according to the law.”

  • Environment as elixir

    Environment as elixir

    With an improved environment, recurrent outbreaks of cholera and tuberculosis should diminish

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) statistics was sad — every avoidable death should be worrisome — but not dire in real terms: 65 confirmed cases with 30 deaths from January 1 to June 11.

    That almost a half (30) of the 65 confirmed cholera cases died was alarming, for it shows Nigeria’s public health system, in the third decade of the 21st century, is lax in both prevention and treatment. 

    By the way, those figures cannot tell the entire tale, as they just recorded the reported cases in official statistics. Who knows of others who just died quietly at home; or even survivors, now spent and frail, helplessly awaiting the next cholera breakout?

    But the truly dire and damning part of the stats is that the cases were — and still are — spread over 96 local governments in 30 states. That shows the entire states, bar six, share the environmental blight that spawns water-borne diseases as cholera.

    That’s the unassailable link to tuberculosis (TB), though it is air-borne. If you tweak the environment — better treatment and supply of water to make it potable and safe; better ventilated housing systems, urban and rural; solid daily municipal services in terms of clearing blocked drains; and effective refuse and waste disposal — then there are chances that we would score a thumping victory over cholera, diarrhea and dysentery, malaria and TB. 

    TB comes with own dire stats: 26, 278 patients battling for survival, according to the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP). On the public health policy front, the danger of TB is well recognised, so much so that its treatment is free countrywide in public hospitals, and in specially designated private ones.

    But even that policy is seriously challenged by a gap — a 70 per cent funding gap — basically made up of local counterpart funding which, by the funding arrangements, the local health agencies ought to add to global donor funding.

    Dr. Bassey Akpan, programme manager of the Akwa Ibom State Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, as reported by ‘The Nation’ of June 17, just sounded an alarm: the lag in local funding threatens Nigeria’s 2025 TB control target. If that fails, then even more people are at danger of contracting TB, particularly among the urban and rural poor, who live in crowded and badly ventilated homes. 

    That should be a grim public health report that should make everyone sober; an advisory that should make ministries of heath, at federal and state levels, to spring to life; and address the funding crisis with the urgency it deserves.

    Besides, this renewed cholera outbreak should even challenge anew the primary health centres, the core duties of the local governments, but bastion of the health philosophy that prevention is better than cure.

    More, on the funding gap, from Dr. Akpan: “The government set a 50 per cent target for domestic funding for TB by 2023, against baseline of eight per cent in 2019. Currently, we are below 20 per cent as at the end of 2023, showing that we are far from target, with only one year left.”

    The basis for the funding lag include, according to Dr. Akpan, treating TB as low priority in budgetary appropriations, non-inclusion of the TB Programme in both the Basic Health Care Provisions Fund (BHCPF) and the National Health Insurance (NHIS), and general over-dependence on foreign donors.

    While the free treatment policy for TB might explain not including TB in NHIS — which, by the way must be more vigorously driven to mainstream it and

    mutants under it, as the “Ilera Eko” scheme in Lagos State, to push health insurance as vibrant and sustainable funding for public health — general over-dependence on foreign donors (if that allegation is true) deserves a ringing condemnation. 

    That would amount to a clear abandonment of duty. Since public health — with mass education and shelter — remains the very basis of a caring government, the federal and state governments must make immediate adjustments to their spending profiles to give TB prevention and treatment adequate recognition. Most impacted by TB are the very poor. They need the caring touch of the government more than any part of the Nigerian demographics.

    Still, all the issues about a funding lag only make the case for prevention — always better than cure. The latest outbreak of cholera in Lagos alone had recorded 401 cases, as at June 20. In Ogun, it is one death from 14 cases, according to Dr. Tomi Coker, the Ogun State Commissioner for Health.

    Even without going through details of the other 28 states, it’s logical to infer that those states won’t be far different from Lagos and Ogun. Many of them can even be far worse, for Lagos and Ogun are in the South West, which boasts far better human development indices (HDI) than the other five geo-political zones.

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    But tweak the situation: how might it have been, were these states to have evolved less hazardous environments, which had progressively become less triggers for TB, cholera and allied ailments, that healthier environments could prevent?

    Clean drains with swift waters, with absolutely no clogs or dregs? Municipal services that boast almost a daily spraying of drains and gutters to get rid of vectors? Sanitary inspectors — the “wole-wole” of yore — that made town and city dwellers take responsibility for their own health by keeping a sanitised environment, failing which they faced stiff repercussions from the state? 

    Running water, well-treated and potable, which not only ran in homes but was also available at public fountains, which served as communal fetching spots, in poorer neighbourhoods? Then, of course, decent and well-ventilated housing units — and the more the poor have access to these units, the better?

    The more our governments spend on these environmental uplift, the less would be the common bill on health. It’s classic thinking that prevention is better than cure.

    Besides, there must be rigorous production standards, in cottage industries that produce ‘zobo’, ‘kunu:, lollipop and sundry popular drinks and beverages, hugely popular among children, youths and many adults. Some of these products, under sloppy conditions, are known to have triggered the perennial cholera outbreaks.

    So, while the government should ramp up public spending on counterpart funding, to match local and international donors in the face-off against TB, a greatly improved environment would ward off constant outbreaks of cholera, aside from diarrhea and dysentery, malaria, small pox, chicken pox and allied water- and air-borne diseases.

    Here then is a renewed call for better and more solid public investment in social infrastructure. While that could appear costly in the very short run, it’s paying tomorrow’s health bills today.  

  • Imo, German firm sign pact on clean environment management

    Imo, German firm sign pact on clean environment management

    The Imo State Government has signed a pact with Eastern Waste Management Company Limited, a German firm, to ensure proper waste gathering and recycling in the state.

    Addressing the audience before the signing ceremony at the Government House, Owerri,  Governor Uzodimma said that his government agreed with the Company “to ensure Imo people enjoy the clean and hygienic environment, relying on the past performance of the Company in other States and even the pilot performance they carried out in some parts of the State recently.”

    He explained that the Imo State Government passed the Private Public Partnership (PPP), Law No 11 in 2018, “to enable government partner with private establishments to optimise values and utilisation of opportunities for the people.”

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    The governor noted that the government has a responsibility to identify partners that are known and have track records of performance and achievements and maintained that the Eastern Waste Management Company Limited has been brought to introduce cleanliness, and hygiene to the Imo State environment and to facilitate job creation.

    He noted that funding and the cost of keeping the environment clean with lean resources of the State have made it necessary for the government to partner with companies and agencies in critical areas to achieve the result.

    Uzodimma said that the agreement had been vetted by the Attorney General of the State adding that he has no hesitation in committing the government to the partnership.

    He therefore urged the technical and financial partners to live up to the expectations “so that our people will get maximum benefit of the project.”

  • Pupils to study environment education

    Pupils to study environment education

    Lagos State is to include environmental education into the curriculum as part of plans to ensure environmental sustainability, it was learnt.

    Special Adviser to the governor on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, at a stakeholders’ engagement yesterday, noted environmental innovation would address challenges the world is facing.          

    He noted engaging stakeholders is crucial in attending to the complex and dynamic environmental problems which require flexible and transparent decision-making.

    “Innovation has always been the driving force behind progress, and it is no different when it comes to tackling environmental issues. Today, we have the opportunity to harness the power of innovation to address climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and other pressing environmental concerns…”

    Permanent Secretary (Environmental Services), Gaji Omobolaji, represented by Director of Sanitation Services, Hassan Sanuth, noted stakeholder support is not a one-time event but a continuous process.

    “Regular interactions, feedback loops, and effective communication are essential to maintain momentum and ensure long-term commitment. By involving stakeholders, we can secure their ownership and facilitate implementation of expanded environmental education and innovative solutions in schools,” he noted.

    Gaji added: “Every stakeholder brings unique perspectives, expertise and resources to the table. By harnessing our collective power, we can drive change and overcome the complex environmental problems in our society.

    ‘’To embark on a successful journey of collaborative engagement, there is need to establish an inclusive and transparent platform for dialogue, open discussions and exchange of ideas to build relationships and lay the foundation for a well-grounded partnership…”

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    Director of Environmental Education Unit, Mrs. Monsurat Banire, said the stakeholders’ engagement was to bring all on board to share knowledge, design programmes and take actions to make the state sustainable for everyone to live in.

    She said: “The government doesn’t work in isolation but tries to bring partners on board to understand what we are doing and why we need their support.

    “We are expanding our environmental programmes to involve more pupils in primary and secondary schools, and so we need partners and sponsors… We need people to have a change of attitude and cultivate the right etiquette so we can sustain efforts at keeping our environment healthy and livable.”

    Mrs. Banire also hinted that plans are on to inculcate the expanded programmes into the school curricular to give the programmes greater footing for the coming generations.

    She added: “When the Environmental Bees Club was launched in 2021, we introduced the non-examinable manual as a unique way of teaching the pupils. It was also done during the extra-curricular activities. But now with the expansion, and in partnership with the six educational districts, Ministry of Education and other relevant MDAs, we are looking to making it a part of the school curricular so that it will be a continuous learning for the pupils.

  • Ansar-ud-Deen cleans streets for healthy environment

    Ansar-ud-Deen cleans streets for healthy environment

    Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN), Lagos Branch, has called on Lagos State Government to provide waste bins in public places and along the roads to ensure proper waste management and environmental hygiene in the state.

    The call was made during the society’s streets’ cleaning clean exercise as part of its centenary celebration.

    Members of the association took to the street of Lagos en masse, with brooms and cleaning materials to sweep and desilt drainages.

    The exercise begins from the National Stadium to Jibowu and back to Teslim Balogun Stadium.

    Speaking after the cleaning exercise, the Chairman ADSN, Lagos Branch, Alhaji AbdurRahman Olabode Salaudeen, said the cleaning exercise was a directive from the national body to be carried out in all the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory.

    “We are using this to thank Allah for preserving our lives to witness the centenary anniversary which is coming up in December. We plan to visit some dignitaries in the state but our priority is to key into government policies. We observe that some places are dirty and we decided to support the government’s move on cleanliness,” he said.

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    He urged Lagosians to desist from dumping debris inside drainages as this led to environmental degradation and pollution, saying “If people continue to dump debris inside drainages, it will not allow free flow of water during the rainy season. We have been able to contribute our quotas by desilting the drainages, so that when it rains, there will be a free flow of water and we will have a healthy environment.”

    He noted that while carrying out the cleaning exercise, so many drainages are left uncovered which might have been stolen and sold out by scavengers.

    “We are surprised to see some deep drainage left uncovered. This is dangerous; people who are walking in the night can easily fall inside these drainages and get injured.

    “It is our collective responsibility to monitor government properties. Whenever you see the scavengers removing the drainage covers, let’s report them to security agents. It is a death trap,” he said.

    ADSN state council’s missioner, Imam Zakariyah Muhammad Thanni, urged the government to provide an enabling environment for citizens to survive.

    Member, state executive, Alhaji Abdul Ganiu Bolarinwa, said cleanliness is next to godliness.

    He urged the state government to imbibe measures put in place in advanced countries to curb littering of the environment.

     “In advanced countries, waste bins are provided in public places and front of each building, so, they don’t litter everywhere. The state government should wake up to provide waste bins along the roads to avoid littering of public places. Although the state government is trying, it is not enough,” he said.

  • NCF holds forum on environment

    The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) will today hold talks on environment issues. This comes under the aegis of the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture, an annual event organised by the NCF in collaboration with the S.L. Edu Family. The event is with the support of Chevron Nigeria Limited, and is aimed at bringing environmental issues to the fore of national discourse while articulating solutions.

    In a statement signed by the NCF’s Director General, Muhtari Aminu-Kano, the Foundation said this year’s lecture with the theme: ‘A quiet revolution – Faith and the environment,’ is to be delivered by the Secretary General, Alliance of Religions and Conservation, United Kingdom, Martin Palmer. The statement said that speakers from diverse backgrounds, rang-ing from academics, conservation, government, corporates and more, have delivered lectures on environmental conservation, policies and other topical issues in the past.

    “Some of the topics and guest speakers in its 17-year history include ‘Environmental management: Imperatives in Africa’s sustainable development’ by Prof. Charles Okidi of the University of Kenya; ‘Environmental policy and performance: A sustainable development agenda for Nigeria’ by  the former Head of interim government in Nigeria, Chief Ernest Shonekan; and ‘Decline of vultures: Consequences of human health and the economy’ by the former Minister of Environment, and current Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, among others,” the statement read.

    Aminu-Kano revealed further that at today’s event, two PhD students in the field of Environmental Sciences in universities across the country, would be awarded scholarship grants. “The grant, sponsored by Chevron, is to encourage the students to undertake research in nature conservation, biodiversity and sustainable livelihood,” he said.

     

  • Senators bemoan low budgetary allocation to environment, agencies

    THE Senate Committee on Environment has bemoaned low budgetary allocation to the Federal Ministry of Environment and some of its agencies.

    Its members called for more financial support to assist them in the discharge of their responsibilities.

    Chairman of the committee Senator Oluremi Tinubu stated this yesterday when members of her committee visited Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi in Ibadan, as part of the committee’s oversight function to the state.

    Mrs. Tinubu expressed particular concern about Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, an agency under the ministry, which she said had done tremendous work in the area of afforestation.

    She said: “The budgetary allocation to the Federal Ministry of Environment is very low, while the research institutes under the ministry are also in dire need of funds in order for them to operate optimally.

    “To mitigate the effects of climate change, the research institutes are important and have a lot to do, especially in the areas of flooding, desertification and even the gully erosion that is fast ravaging the South-East.

    “They need proper funding to operate optimally for seedlings and other areas that are paramount in the research process. So, government has to look into that while Nigerians have to be shown the advantages of the work of the ministry.

    “Recently, the weather has been very hot as a result of climate changes, but here in Nigeria, we are blessed with trees, which can do so for us in the area of stopping erosion.”

    She said the ministry and its agencies were in the eyes of the world organisations like UNESCO and the United Nations and would serve the nation better, if properly funded.

    Mrs. Tinubu, while noting some of the challenges facing the environment, however, said rather than being discouraged, efforts should be made to confront the challenges, adding “they (challenges) are many but are surmountable with proper funding and legislative monitoring.”

    The Senator later presented the new Act that would enable smooth operations of the ministry and its agencies and help in combating the negative effects of climate change, to the governor.

    The governor called for support for the Ministry of Environment at the federal and state levels, as well as their agencies to help them face the challenges of nature.

    The governor said there were inter-related opportunities between the ministry of environment and the ministry of agriculture.

    He added that they both had positive effects on humanity in terms of ameliorating the effects of climate change on the environment, financial empowerment to farmers and job opportunities for the young populace.

    Ruing the negative effect of flooding on the lives of the people, Ajimobi noted that Ibadan metropolis had suffered a lot from natural disasters before the emergence of his administration due to low funding for the state ministry of environment and its agencies by successive administrations.

    The governor said that the state had escaped the annual destructive impact of flooding since 2012 due to the proactive measures taken by his government to forestall flooding.

    He hailed the committee for legislating on the regulatory acts which, he said, would ensure that the ministry and its sister agencies operated without hindrance.

  • Buhari seeks ICAN assistance to tackle environmental challenges

    *Urges Nigerians to contribute to nation building

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday tasked the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to assist in tackling environmental challenges in the country among other problems.

    He said that all Nigerians have a role to play in securing the future of the country.

    The President spoke in Abuja while receiving the President and Executive Committee of the ICAN.

    The President said: “In the present circumstances, all hands must be on deck to ensure Nigerians work towards an inclusive, diversified and sustainable future.”

    President Buhari noted that climate change and environmental challenges are major threat to the peace and prosperity of our nation and its citizens.

    “In the Niger-Delta region, man-made environmental problems have adversely impacted the livelihoods of the inhabitants. Farmers and fishermen in particular have seen their means of livelihood destroyed. Our assessments have shown it will take decades to reverse this damage. But we have made a start. With or without international cooperation, we are starting to clean up our degraded areas, beginning with Ogoni.

    In the North Central region, we are also seeing a significant increase in farmer herdsmen clashes. This trend, which is recurring in many West and Central African nations, is as a result of desertification.We are also seeing unpredictable rain patterns resulting in significant floods across our coastal communities. These floods have destroyed hundreds of homes and farmlands,”he said.

    He therefore, urged the Chartered accountants to use their positions to champion the course of sustaining the environment.

    “As Chartered Accountants, your knowledge of environmental and sustainability business practices is critical. You have a responsibility to ensure your clients, in both the public and private sector, prioritise environmental sustainability in their operations,” he advised.

    The President used the opportunity to inform his guests that his administration intention to sustain the fight against corruption in order to yield more dividends of democracy.

    “In the past 3 years, this administration has worked hard to enhance the transparency and efficiency of public sector financing through the Treasury Single Account. We have also introduced policies that are improving the business environment. We have implemented projects that enable young entrepreneurs. We will also continue to review obsolete laws that are hindering growth in many sectors,” he said.

    He also assured ICAN of continued partnership with the Institute for the development of this nation.

    ICAN President, Rasaq Jaiyeola said: “Government has made giant strides in this direction. Fighting corruption is really at the front burner of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and it is acknowledged all over the world. We believe the government has tried and will continue to grow in strength in that direction.”

    He said ICAN has introduced some measures that will help strengthen and sustain the fight against corruption.

    “We have introduced a number of measures in our Institute as regards fighting corruption in this country. We have recently introduced ICAN accountability index which is a way of assessing public finance management practices in Nigeria.

    “At the end of the day this will introduce measure that will improve performance of the government and the economy as well block loop holes as regards fighting corruption. We have also introduced other measures in this direction, like what we call, Non compliance with rules and regulations by various bodies.

    “Our members are mandated to make a report of any infractions in their organisations. We have also introduced the whistle blowing policy to support our government and we have set aside a fund to support this objective such that if any of our members makes a report or he does his work and is been victimised as a result of fighting corruption, the Institute is there to support them as appropriate and we actually did this several years ago and we are happy that this present government has also made it a national priority,” he said.

  • ‘Deal with rats in your environment’

    Nigerians  have  been  urged to take rats’ control seriously, as it will assist in the elimination of lassa fever.

    Lassa fever is a zoonotic virus infection, meaning that humans become infected from contact with infected animals

    According to a psychiatric nurse at Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Mrs Racheal Adagunodo, it is necessary because Lassa fever is a threat to health and  the economy.

    Mrs Adagunodo said the vector for Lassa fever is the multi-mammate rats. Explaining that this natural host for the virus – the multimammate rats (mastomysnatalensis), which breed frequently and are distributed widely throughout West, Central, and East Africa are the common rodents in tropical Africa, and they are found predominantly in rural areas and dwellings more often than surrounding country side.

    “It is found in urban settings where the level of hygiene is low.   Member of this genus is infected persistently and shed the virus in their excreta and other body fluid throughout life,” she said.

    On how to prevent the vector from transmitting the virus, Mrs Adagunodo said people should be educated on proper ways of food processing. “Stop drying food beside roads, e.g. cassava produce, grains etc.), ensure that cooked or uncooked foods are adequately covered, ensure regular hand washing with liquid soap and antiseptics, ensure furniture surfaces are cleaned with disinfectants, e.g., tables and floors, doors and windows should be closed, especially at night, if not possible, a net should be used,” she said.

    All medical professionals should wear protective gadgets when treating people infected or suspected to be having lassa fever. “Wear mask one meter before reaching the patient. Anybody, who showed symptoms of lassa should report to the hospital immediately. General cleanliness of home environments should be maintained. All waste bins should be tightly closed. Avoid unnecessary handshakes and contacts with anybody fluids of other people,” she warned

    She also warned that lassa fever as a health condition cannot be determined facially but by testing the blood of the infected or suspected individuals, adding that it is through  laboratory diagnosis by using enzyme, such as immune sorbent serologic assays (ELISA) Incubation Period.

    “The incubation period is from one to 21 days (three weeks).  It  affects both male and female, and it’s common in the dry season than wet season.  Lassa fever is difficult to diagnose clinically, but should be suspected in a patient with a fever greater than 38c, and if such a patient failed to respond to anti-malaria and antibiotics drugs,”she said.

    Mode of transmission, according to her, is when humans become infected with lassa virus from exposure to the droppings of infected mastomy rats; through contacts with contaminated food, drinks, and items within or around human, e.g. eating plates; through humans  by direct contact with blood, urine, feaces or other body fluid of infected human.

    “In the health care setting where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment such as needles, it can be transmitted sexually through semen. It could be transmitted through breast milk from an infected mother to her child. It can be inhaled from dry surfaces or infected dust.  By eating the multi-mammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) as it is a delicacy in some parts of Nigeria.

    “Also, cough,  a sore throat, pharyngitis, retrospinal pain, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, pink eye (conjunctivitis), swelling of the face, protein in urine, tremor are some of the clinical factors to watch out for,” explained Adagunodo.

    She said if the vector is not controlled, there could be untold economic effects, the economy effects, according to Mrs Adagunodo, drawing on past experience the multimillion-naira cassava flakes (gari) processing company was short down temporarily for fear of individuals contracting lassa fever through the consumption of cassava flakes; so gari consumption dropped, adding, “Gari could not be exported, as this affected both internal and external revenue generation.”

    Mrs Adagunodo said gari business was not the only business that could be affected as millions of naira were spent by the government to get the protective gadget for clinicians, who care for people with lassa fever.

    “This money, if channelled to other parts of the health sector would have improved our health care facilities tremendously. This applies to training and retaining of staff to enable them prevent and manage the diseases effectively, for example, the epidemiology and laboratory training program to support and manage lassa fever by the ministry of health.

    “In addition, drug of choice in the treatment of lassa fever ribavirin is expensive, and families are affected financially as there are reports that in some lassa treatment centres treatment are not free. Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria is putting out investors, who would have come to invest in Nigeria’s economy. Families spend more money on rodenticide compared to two years before the outbreak.

     

  • ‘How Lagos is ensuring safe environment’

    Lagos State Ministry of the Environment said it has repositioned the environment to make it more liveable. Its introduction of new waste management system will be the game-changer in the country. But how well has the ministry faired in the last one year? MUYIWA LUCAS reports. 

    For the Lagos State Commissioner for the environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosimi-Etti, getting the state residents to adjust to the new waste management system has remained daunting.

    Since the commencement of the new waste management reforms, concerted efforts have been on to reassure the populace cleaner environment.

    The commissioner, who reeled out his ministry’s efforts at maintain cleaner environment in the last one year, assured Lagosians of government’s commitment to clean, healthy and liveable environment.

     

    Solid waste management

    According to Durosinmi-Etti, said Lagos State was painstakingly addressing the challenges associated with increasing population, infrastructural gap and investment in the environment sector through the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), which, he said, had been updated for greater efficiency.

    He emphasised that the new system of Solid Waste Management in the state had berthed a truly private-sector-run and technology-driven sub-sector to the state’s economy, creating new businesses and job opportunities for the people.

    According to him, the state had entered a new dimension with the engagement so far, of 13,958 Community Sanitation Workers, who would now be supervised by the Ministry of the Environment for the sweeping of inner streets in the 377 political wards of the state.

    He explained that the ongoing reform in the sector, Waste Collector Operators (WCOs), otherwise known as the PSP operators, has now been charged with the responsibility of managing residential and general waste collection, while Visionscape Sanitation Solutions was, henceforth, mandated to implement waste management infrastructure development across the state, in addition to intervening in public waste collection to cover any service lapses that may occur.

    As part of the reform, he said the Lagos State Public Works Corporation would oversee drainage management across the state, while the state Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) and the Public Utilities Monitoring and Assurance Unit (PUMAU) would both focus on enforcement and monitoring, while Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) would handle the enforcement of law against illegal dumping and fly-tipping, and PUMAU would track and control the payment of fees as well as supervise collection operations.

    The commissioner also disclosed that the Epe landfill site, under construction by Visionscape, was achieving remarkable progress, especially with the completion of the weigh-in Bridge, among other facilities, while Portland Energy and Power was mobilising to site for the commencement of work on Erikiti Engineered Hazardous Landfill in Badagry.

    “The Transfer Loading Stations (TLS), which are under construction in Agege, Oshodi, Lagos Island (Tapa), in addition to Waste Depots at Mushin and Ogudu, have attained over 80 per cent completion. On completion, these facilities will enhance the turn-around time of waste compactors to further ease the waste challenge,” he said.

    He stressed that the promotion of waste recycling as a waste reduction strategy, was critical to the attainment of clean, healthy and liveable environment, adding that the state government had registered 398 recycling related facilities, while 2, 874, 319kg material ranging from cartons, cans, pet bottles, papers, among others, had been recovered and recycled within the last one year.

     

     Water initiative

    Durosimi-Etti explained that the government is determined to sustainably meet the potable water demand of the people. This, he explained, is why the administration of Governor Aknwunmi Ambode rapidly increased access to safe drinking water by adding 10 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to bring water supply to 220MGD.

    He said the major boost in water supply was achieved through the massive investment in water infrastructure, capacity enhancement of existing waterworks and building of new ones.

    Besides, he revealed that the state government had completed the rehabilitation of 48 Mini-Waterworks in different parts of the state, including Ikeja, Surulere, Onikan, Epe, Ikorodu, Dolphin, Ajangbadi, Victoria Island, VI Annex, Lekki, Ikoyi, Ojo, Igando, Badore, Ikate, Apapa, Coker Aguda, Magodo, Meiran, Isheri Osun, Alexandra, Eredo, Somolu, Ojokoro, and Iwaya.

    “This is in addition to the rehabilitation of the major waterworks of Iju and Adiyan Phase I with 45 MGD  and 70 MGD capacity,  respectively,  as well as the ongoing construction of the 70MGD Adiyan Water Treatment Plant Phase II to  supply water at their optimal capacities. Others are the 4 MGD Ishasi waterworks; the 2MGD Imeke Iworo waterworks, both of which will serve the corridors of Mile 2, Owode, Barracks, Alaba International, Old Ojo Road, Ajangbadi, parts of Badagry and adjoining communities,” he said.

    Durosimi-Etti said to achieve greater efficiency and water supply management, government had deployed the required technology and administrative measures, chief among were: installation of 13,800 pre-paid meters to ensure accurate billing in some parts of state such as Lekki, Victoria Island, Surulere, Itire, Iwaya, Ikeja etc.

    There was also the procurement of leak-detection equipment for network intelligence and distribution teams to minimise water wastages and forestall leakages; and the refurbishment of generating sets as well as the installation of 33KV panel and accessories at Akute intake pumping station to serve as alternative power supply.

    “To keep track of all water facilities spread widely across the state, Mr. Ambode’ Administration has introduced Asset Management Plan as well as Geographic Information System(GIS) to enable us locate, track, maintain and replace key fixed assets,” he added.

     

    Stronger legislation

    Durosinmi-Etti affirmed that Lagos had strengthened its regulatory agencies to enforce compliance to standard and regulations, and curb all unsanitary behaviour by applying the required penalties, adding that monitoring, enforcement and compliance activities of the ministry and its agencies had improved in steering the state towards environmental sustainability.

    He said the ministry has continued to monitor industrial facilities based on indicators such as Chemical Storage Permit, Environmental Audit Report, Petroleum Storage, Solid Waste Management and the use of Personal Protective Equipment etc.  He explained that 63 percent of the 81 industrial facilities monitored in the last one year were satisfactory while 38 percent were unsatisfactory. This this end, the state, he further revealed, has issued non-compliance notices to 209 facilities due to their recurring environmental issues.

    According to him, 76 per cent of the 4,378 tenements and 597 private facilities monitored for compliance to wastewater policy of the state government were served abatement notices while 60 per cent of 1, 185 complaints received on noise pollution were abated.

    For the enforcement of Environmental Laws, he explained that operatives of the LAGESC arrested  2, 097 environmental offenders, comprising illegal street traders, hawkers, highway pedestrian defaulters, environmental nuisance polluters and cart-pushers. 136 offenders were engaged in communal service across the metropolis while others were arraigned for prosecution in line with the law at the Samuel Ilori Court, Ogba and Special Offences Mobile Court, Oshodi.

    Certainly, the race to a safer environment cannot be over emphasised, especially with the associated concerns of climate change.