By Ajayi Lukman
A healthy environment, built on sound environmental sanitation practices is the cornerstone of human development, health, and economic prosperity. Proper environmental sanitation is essential for preventing the spread of diseases, promoting public health, and ensuring a high quality of life.
Effective waste management, clean water supply, and adequate sewage disposal are critical components of environmental sanitation that directly impact human well-being.
By maintaining a clean and healthy environment, communities can thrive and achieve sustainable development. In this context, environmental sanitation plays a vital role in supporting the overall health and prosperity of communities.
In line with this principle, the Lagos State government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been implementing the THEMES Plus development agenda, which focuses on promoting economic growth, improving the environment, and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
A major pillar of this agenda is environmental sustainability. In this area, the state has shown an unwavering commitment by working tirelessly to maintain environmental sanity and promote a cleaner and more habitable state. This proactive stance underscores the government’s vision of transforming Lagos into a healthier and more liveable megacity through bold policy initiatives and sustainable practices.
The government’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its efforts to promote a cleaner and more habitable environment will undoubtedly contribute to making Lagos a better place for its residents.
A key agency driving this effort is the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI. Under the leadership of Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), the agency has been instrumental in enforcing the state’s environmental laws and promoting environmental awareness.
According to recent statistics, the agency’s efforts have yielded significant results, with over 3,786 arrests made for street trading and hawking between April 2024 and the date. Furthermore, over 6,789 arrests have been made for other environmental infractions, including open defecation and urination. Environmental abatement notices have also been served to residences and businesses found in contravention of the state’s environmental laws.
Notably, one of the agency’s outstanding achievements is the removal of hundreds of street traders and shanties along the Cele-Ilasa drainage channel. This operation, which was carried out in conjunction with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), aimed to restore environmental sanity and prevent the spread of diseases.
Additionally, the agency has been working to prevent the sale of illicit substances, including sachet alcohol and aphrodisiacs, in traffic. In a recent operation, six suspected vendors were apprehended and charged in court.
The alarming scourge of drunk-driving among Lagos drivers has been researched as a leading and contributory factor to the spate of motor accidents within and outside the state. It is, therefore, cheering that the agency has been working tirelessly to halt the illicit sales of alcohol in traffic as well as in motor parks across the state. To prevent the needless loss of lives due to avoidable road accidents, the trend of hawking alcohol in traffic must be discouraged by all stakeholders. Hence, there is a need to support the agency in the drive to tackle this ugly and dangerous trend.
Fortunately, some prominent stakeholders in the sector are already appreciating the efforts of LAGSEC in improving the state of the Lagos environment. In a recent statement, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, praised the efforts of the agency, stating that “the Lagos State government is committed to making Lagos a cleaner and more habitable state, and the efforts of KAI are crucial to achieving this goal.”
He emphasized that the state’s THEMES Plus agenda, which focuses on promoting economic growth, improving the environment, and enhancing the quality of life for residents, is being implemented through various initiatives, including the agency’s efforts to maintain environmental sanity.
However, the agency’s work is far from over. As the state continues to grow and develop, efforts to promote a cleaner and more habitable environment will remain critical. The commitment to enforcing the state’s environmental laws and promoting environmental awareness will undoubtedly contribute to making Lagos a better place for its residents.
The agency’s commitment to making Lagos a cleaner and more habitable state is evident in its various initiatives. For instance, the annual ‘Scale A’ Parade exercise, which aims to document the physical well-being of operatives and determine their eligibility to discharge their duties, is a testament to its dedication to the welfare of its personnel.
In a statement, the Corps Marshal of KAI commended the efforts of his operatives, stating that their dedication to duty has been instrumental in promoting a cleaner and more habitable environment in Lagos. He emphasized the importance of continuous stakeholder engagement and community outreach programs in promoting environmental awareness and encouraging voluntary compliance with the state’s environmental laws.
The agency’s stance on the importance of proper waste disposal and environmental consciousness is particularly noteworthy.
“We urge all Lagosians to take ownership of their environment and work together with us to promote a cleaner and more habitable state,” the Corps Marshal once stated.
“We will continue to enforce the state’s environmental laws and promote environmental awareness, but we need the cooperation of all residents to achieve our goals”, he added.
In all, the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) has done exceptionally well in the area of enforcement to ensure compliance and curb illegal activities that threaten ecological integrity.
The efforts of LAGSEC in maintaining environmental sanity and enforcing the state’s environmental laws are commendable. The agency’s commitment to promoting environmental awareness and encouraging voluntary compliance with the state’s environmental laws is evident in various initiatives. It is, however, important that residents and all stakeholders in the sector join hands with the government and the agency in the efforts to achieve a sustainable environment.
Unfriendly environment practices such as street trading, street hawking, illegal roadside parking, street begging, building along water channels, dumping of refuse on water drains, open defecation, and driving against traffic (one-way driving), among others, should be discouraged by every well-meaning citizen.
Together, we can build a Greater Lagos of our collective aspiration!
• Lukman is head, Public Affairs and Advocacy Unit, LAGESC, Lagos.
