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Tag: Tunji Bello

  • Lagos alerts on more floods

    Lagos alerts on more floods

    •Praises flood control measures

    The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, has expressed satisfaction with the efforts  to combat flooding in the state.

    The Commissioner noted that it is gratifying that while several states  were submerged by flood in the last few years, Lagos, through the relentless efforts of its engineers, has received several commendations for its proactive measures at containing flooding.

    Bello said the state has equally benefitted from its strategic planning on flood control measures, which according to him, were effective enough to contain attendant storm water. This has earned the state commendations from the Nigeria Meteorological service as the only state that has a deliberate and concerted deflooding programme.

    The commissioner however cautioned residents to be prepared for heavy downpour this year. His warning is based on the 2015 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) for the state, which indicated that there will be 260 days of rainfall in the state this year.

    “It has been predicted that Lagos State will experience a rainy season of between 245 and 260 days, with the maximum annual rainfall predicted to be around 1,824mm. The maximum rainfall will be experienced around the Marina area of Lagos Island. In general, this year’s rainfall has been predicted to have a delay onset of about two to 13 days, with Lagos, Ondo, Ogun and some other states expected to have more pronounced delay by eight to 13 days,” Bello said.

    The prediction, which was corroborated by NIMET, also said an early cessation of rainfall is predicted for most part of the country. However, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Akure, among others, will have later than normal cessation as they will experience more growing season.

    Bello said with high temperature and humidity being favourable conditions for the growth of pest, vectors and spreading of diseases, coupled with the fact that the higher the temperature and humidity, the more rapid the life cycles of mosquitoes and frequencies in mosquito bites, the state will be affected by mosquitoes. “Lagos State is expected to be moderately affected by mosquitoes. It is of utmost importance that Lagosians keep their environment clean to minimise the effects of mosquitoes,” he warned, adding that Lagosians should avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and blockage of drainage.

    Bello also warned that due to climate change, while other states in the federation will enjoy a short break in rainfall between July 15 and August 31 this year, Lagos is not likely to have this break as it will rain throughout the year unlike other years.

    “It is going to rain throughout the year; there is no “August break” for Lagos State. There will be days without rain, but there won’t be any long interval of break,” he warned.

    The commissioner also warned of strong wind that may accompany rains, which he said will herald the onset and cessation of rains in the state. Therefore, he advised farmers to plant drought resistant crops; dams managers in areas with prospect of above normal rainfall such as Ogun-Oshun River Basin, should prepare for high water inflow due to run-off.  He also warned pilots to take extra care during landing and take-off to avoid weather hazards caused by wind shear, slippery runways and reduced visibility expected at different periods in the year. Also to be affected are communication firms. This is due to the expected warmer than normal temperature and the expected intense rainstorms and strong winds which are expected to affect communication signals.

    Bello assured that within the available resources to government, the Ministry of Environment proactively shall continue to undertake measures to ensure that it  copes with the rains.

  • Lagos calls for renewed strategy on coastline erosion

    Lagos calls for renewed strategy on coastline erosion

    The Lagos State government has called for a renewed strategy in the management of coastline and marine issues in the country.

    Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello made the call yesterday at the Walk for Nature, which took place at the State House, Marina.

    Bello said the theme: “Small Island Developing States: Focus on Coastal Areas”, offered another opportunity to focus on the environment and its sustainability.

    He said Lagos was beset by a myriad of challenges, such as illegal dredging, illegal land reclamation and sand mining, which threatened sustainability of the coastlines, resulting in surges, flooding and negative environmental consequences.

    Bello emphasised the government’s commitment to sustainable coastal area management.

    Another strategy is the management of our wetlands by promoting the identification and mapping of wetlands, scattered all over the state.

    He urged Lagosians to support the government by embracing the message of the Walk for Nature programme.

    “When we walk for nature, we get closer to nature; we reduce vehicular emissions, which contribute to global warming; as more vehicles will stay off roads.

    The commissioner said the government has created several walk ways on major roads to encourage walking and stem climate change.

    He urged Lagosians to take advantage of the government’s magnanimity by making effective use of the walkways as part of their contributions to curb global warming.

    “We should also engage in exercising, either within our immediate environment or register with clubs to keep fit.”

    An environmentalist, Philip Asiodu, who is also the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) president, said small island states were more prone to the damaging effects of a warming planet than those in the hinterland.

    “The impact of a rising sea level means loss of lives and properties for many people living on small islands.

    “The importance of Lagos as a coastal city and as the economic nerve centre of the most populous country in Africa makes it imperative to pay attention to any potential threat.

    “All actions aimed at sensitising the populace to the dangers of climate change are parts of the strategy in mitigating the damaging consequences.”

    Special Adviser on the Environment Taofeek Folami, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola, said the administration was committed to a sustainable coastal area management.

     

     

     

  • Ebola: Lagos begins public enlightenment

    The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment has moved to sensitise the public on the dangers of Ebola disease.

    According to the Commissioner, Mr. Tunji Bello, “our environment is ours, Ebola is an alien and we must eject it out of our land, through clean and hygienic ways of life”.

    At the “Train the Trainers Programme” organised by the Ministry for Environment Health Officers, known in local parlance as Wole Wole across the 57 Local Government (LGs) / Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), and Scientific Officers in the State Areas, Bello urged residents to desist from  pollution, such as defecating and urinating in the public, and embrace proper environmental hygiene standards to curb the spread of the disease.

    The theme of the seminar was “Creating an army of advocacy to curb Ebola Virus through effective enlightenment at the grassroots.”

    Bello, who said the state government had embarked on actions to control the spread since the announcement of the outbreak, especially in the state, explained that  the ministry, was concerned that an unhygienic environment and healthy sanitation practices by the public could further aggravate the situation, decided to organise the training.

    ”To complement other efforts of the government, the Ministry of the Environment has packaged educative programmes for Lagos residents starting with the training after which an army of those trained  would embark on mass public enlightenment campaigns to markets, motor parks, and schools in all the 57 LCDAs to create awareness on how to prevent the spread of the dreaded disease,” he said.

    The Commissioner noted that as Lagos is home to all with a population of over 21 million constituted by diverse tribes across the country, the state government needs the support of the health workers who are professionally trained and scientific officers to act as health and end environmental police to assist in maintaining hygienic environmental standard across the state. He therefore charged the citizenry to cooperate fully with the state government and take necessary precautionary measures to contain stop Ebola virus Disease in their communities.

    “EVD is considered an international public health emergency according to world Health Organisation (WHO). Ebola is a very terrifying disease, a killer,” said Bello. According to him, the only way out of this is for the public to embark on preventive measures which is what all environmental health officers and scientific officers will be preaching across the state.

    “This message to Lagosians is that we should embrace strict personal hygiene not only for ourselves, we should extend the message further to the grassroots, other members of the public, our families, our friends and colleagues. If they are safe, we are safe; if they are not, we are not,” Bello charged.

    An epidemiologist and a Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olubunmi Enigbonkan, said it was impossible to identify an infected person at the early stage as the incubation for the Ebola Heamorrhagic Fever takes about 21days to manifest. He advised Lagosians to ensure basic sanitary hygiene as these could help to prevent the spread of the disease, adding that Ebola uses medium, such as sweat, saliva and blood to spread faster.

    Similarly, Toyin Awosika, director Public Enlightenment Department, state Ministry of Information and Strategy, highlighted the importance of public enlightenments as a tool for sensitising the people on the dangers of the disease, stressing that the environmental health officer/scientific officer must adopt use of simple language in communicating and where necessary to communicate in local language. He urged them to be patient, friendly and see themselves as agents of change.

    Other speakers were Jonathan Godonu Ogun, retired Head, Environmental Health Unit, Office of Environmental Service, Ministry of the Environment and Dr.  Abiodun Denloye, a lecturer at the Department of Zoology, Lagos State University (LASU).

    They recommended the following steps to curb the spread of the disease: imbibing the practice of good handwashing with soap and running water/use of hand sanitiser; ensuring personal hygiene and proper sanitation and cleanliness of sanitary facilities such as hand washing with soap and water after visiting the toilet, not urinating and or defecating in open places, disposing of solid waste, do not discharge water/feaces into public drains, and being careful when using railings, door knobs, and other public facilities.

    Others were regular fumigating and disinfecting the environment; ensuring that contaminated materials, such as blood, sweat, emesis, faeces and body secretions are well handled; avoiding eating of bush meat and desisting from discharging faecal effluent into the drain or the ground.

  • Lagos to step up anti-flooding battle

    The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, has said  the state government will intensify and sustain its all-year de-flooding programme consisting of pre-rain, mid-rain and post-rain strategies, even as the state has continued to provide relief to residents as a result of severe rains recorded in the state within the last one month.

    Bello said this feat has been achieved through intensification of its mid-rain cleaning and maintenance programme, which has reduced the incidence of flooding unlike the incessant flooding been experienced in other states of the federation. He stated that that the state government had kept faith with its de-flooding programme which had been sustained by the Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration, and has continued to yield positive results across the state. He noted that while it had rained persistently in the last one month, the state has not recorded massive flooding and destruction of property that used to accompany past rainy seasons in the state.

    According to Bello, maintenance of primary channels, secondary and tertiary drains was carried out on 108 drains totalling 107,350.00m across the state. In Agege Local Government Area (LGA) for instance, seven drains of 4,438.00 metres were routinely maintained; three channels of 4,034 metres were maintained in Ajeromi / Ifelodun LGA, while channels making up a total of 8,671 metres were maintained in Alimosho LGA, among others.

    The Commissioner enjoined residents to cooperate with the state government by participating actively in cleaning of drainage channels in their immediate environment in order to allow for easy passage of rain water.  He said: “We call on the people of the state to complement the effort of the state government by cleaning tertiary drains / gutters in their frontages and neighbourhood regularly and not only on monthly environmental sanitation days, but on all days.”

  • Lagos accuses PDP members of vandalising Gani Park

    Lagos accuses PDP members of vandalising Gani Park

    LAGOS State yesterday accused Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of vandalising the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, Lagos during a rally.

    Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello expressed shock at the level of destruction.

    He said the platform and base of the late human rights lawyer’s statue was damaged; the railings and green lawns were trampled on, while the solar light panels were vandalised.

    “With this act of vandalisation, the PDP again demonstrated their penchant for violence,” Bello said in statement by the ministry’s spokesman Fola Adeyemi

    He said the party members did not only damage the park, they “inflicted great pains and discomfort to the entire users of Ikorodu Road and Ojota areas, while also denying them the right to trade and earn a living during the lock-down of the entire area.”

    He wondered how a PDP-led Federal Government that makes billions from the Apapa port cannot fix the roads in the axis which have become a nightmare to users.

    “The Lagos State Government is pained by the sufferings of innocent Lagosians who eke a living in this axis and are daily locked up in a traffic jam that lasts for hours after a hard  day’s work.

    “Is this the type of hardship they want to bring to Lagosians?” Bello asked.

     

  • Lagos tackles noise pollution

    Lagos tackles noise pollution

    *Set to meet churches, mosques

    The Lagos State Government has vowed to seal off churches and mosques found to be making life miserable for residents through noise pollution.

    Commissioner for the Environment Mr. Tunji Bello, who addressed reporters yesterday, warned the religious institutions involved to eschew the act or face the law.

    He said the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) had been directed to halt proliferation of churches and mosques in residential quarters as part of efforts to reduce noise pollution in the state.

    Saying that officials of the ministry would soon meet with religious organisations in the state, Bello added: “We all worship God and He listens to us; it is not by making noise.”

  • Excitement as commissioner donates Easter gifts

    Excitement as commissioner donates Easter gifts

    Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, has advised members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yaba and Mainland Local Government Council Areas to close ranks and work for the progress of the party.

    The commissioner spoke during his annual Easter festival distribution of gifts to APC members in the two LGAs which held at the Mainland Independent Group (MIG) office in Yaba.

    The items include: Sewing machines, hair dryers, grinding machines and various foodstuffs.

    Bello, who was represented by his spokesperson, Alhaji Ibrahim Megida, said: “My desire to give to members of our great party is in conformity with the spirit of our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, who are noted for their high-level performances.”

    Bello noted that the APC is the fastest growing political party in Africa and urged all its members to work in harmony to ensure victory for the party during the 2015 general elections.

    He added that the target of the party was to assume power at the centre, where the vision of its leadership to transform the lives of all Nigerians would be realised.

  • Commissioner inspects drainage projects

    The Lagos State government has said there is need to protect drainange channels and free to avoid erosion and its harmful effects.

    Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello and Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment Dr. Taofeek Folami while inspecting drainage projects, said the state government was working assiduously to ensure that the state is free of flood in order not to record any disaster as being experienced in the United Kingdom (UK).

    “This we have strengthened with the intensification of our pre-rain cleaning and maintenance programme across the state,” Bello said. The mass cleaning and maintenance of drainage channels and canals across the state will allow free flow of storm water as well as eliminate the incidence of flooding, which is of great consideration to the state, in order to ensure safety of life and properties.

    Folami said the inspection of pre-rain cleaning and maintenance was to assess communities’ readiness for this year’s rain, and also note areas of challenges across the state. He said the Ministry of Environment had kicked off a campaign on radio and television to complement government’s effort at reducing flooding in the state.

    Canvassing the support of residents, Folami cited the flooding ravaging the UK, despite their advanced technologies.

    He advised Lagosians to prevent its reoccurrence in the state by desisting from acts that could lead to flooding, adding that Lagos is a coastal state. He urgedLagosians to desist from dumping refuse in drains and canals, and stop patonising cart pushers. He urged them not to build on drainage alignments, warning that clogging of drains hinders free flow of water because, whenever it rains, flood will definitely carry the filth into the drains.

    “We should desist from all acts that could lead to flooding because Lagos as a coastal state is susceptible, and if advanced nations could experience flooding, then we should all join hands with the state government on its effort to reduce the incidence of flooding to the barest minimum in the state,” Folami cautioned.

  • Commissioner empowers the needy

    Commissioner empowers the needy

    Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment Mr Tunji Bello has empowered 36 residents of Yaba/Mainland Local Government Area. The gesture took place at his quarterly scholarship/empowerment scheme held at the Mainland Independent Group (MIG) office in Yaba.

    He urged chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area to close ranks in the party’s interest.

    Bello, who is the group’s patron, promised to sustain the scheme which started in April, saying: ‘’My modest contributions to poverty alleviation in Yaba and Mainland are in consonance with the principles of the APC’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    Bello said Governor Babatunde Fashola’s performance at the state level required complementary social responsibility by other officials at the local government and community level.’’ The Chairman, MIG, Hon. Kayode Aransiola; Coordinator Alhaji Ibrahim Megida and Woman Leader Alhaja Nimota Morenikeji said the gesture was unprecedented in the area’s political history.

    They praised Tinubu, Fashola and Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their ‘’people-centred policies,’’ adding: ”APC will make tremendous impact on the lives of Nigerians if it captures power at the centre.”

  • Fashola, Bello task informal sector on groundwater pollution

    Fashola, Bello task informal sector on groundwater pollution

    WIFE of the Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola and the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello has tasked operators of the informal sectors to preserve groundwater resources in the state from pollution.

    They spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the ministry to educate operators in the sector on the conservation and preservation of underground water resources.

    Addressing participants at the forum, Fashola said there was a need to pay urgent attention to human activities that constitute danger to ground water pollution, noting that a larger percentage of water consumption in the state is derived from ground water.

    “I advise that we all pay attention to this call on preservation of our groundwater resources as we are particularly vulnerable in Lagos with multiple urban communities where population density is high and human use of the land is intensive.

    “Virtually, any activity whereby chemicals or wastes may be released to the environment, either intentionally or accidentally, has the potential to pollute ground water and when ground water becomes contaminated it is difficult and expensive to clean,” she said.

    She charged them to join the government campaign of eradicating groundwater pollution by ensuring that unsafe or risky waste should always be disposed of properly.

    In his welcome address, Bello said the effective management of the environment depends largely on the capacities of operators in the sector to organise and manage their business efficiently to ensure sanity of the environment.

    According to him, “The informal sector generates by-products that if not properly managed deface our streets and clog our drains.The inadequacy of water has been at the centre of recent world discussion; hence, preservation of water is a compulsory option for life and living. Besides, if we waste it, posterity will not bless us because our forefathers have preserved it for us and we have the sacred responsibility of conserving it for unborn children.”