By Our Reporter
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has issued a final warning to illegal occupants and owners of structures on the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, announcing that a large-scale demolition and clearance operation would begin next week as part of efforts to restore order and improve environmental sanitation.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made this known on Saturday, while speaking to journalists during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise at Itire Road in Surulere Local Government Areas of the state, saying that the government would no longer tolerate the illegal occupation of the road median, as he described the act as an abuse of public infrastructure and a threat to the ongoing reconstruction of the highway.
Sanwo-Olu said the exercise would cover the stretch from Orile Iganmu to Okokomaiko, warning that all illegal structures on the corridor would be removed.
"This is the final notice to everyone occupying the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. From next week, we are coming to clear the entire median. Everything there will go. Every illegal structure will be removed," he declared.
The governor stressed that the median was designed as part of the highway infrastructure and not for commercial activities or habitation and, therefore, the need to "preserve it, especially considering the huge public investment on that corridor."
"It is not meant to be a market. It is not meant to be a place where people erect structures. It is a highway median, and we must preserve it, especially considering the huge public investment on that corridor," he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said thousands of enforcement personnel would participate in the operation to ensure strict compliance with environmental and physical planning laws.
"We are coming with all the necessary manpower and equipment. We will remain there until the job is completed. No one should expect any exemption," he warned.
Sanwo-Olu also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration's commitment to improving waste management across the state through increased investment in sanitation infrastructure.
According to him, the government had already ordered 150 additional compactors to strengthen waste evacuation across Lagos, adding that the first batch would arrive within the next three months.
The governor further disclosed that the state, in collaboration with local governments, was also procuring smaller compactor trucks capable of accessing inner streets and estates to improve refuse collection.
Besides, he said the government was simultaneously investing in long-term waste processing infrastructure, including a modern material recovery and recycling facility capable of processing about 4,250 metric tonnes of waste daily.
He added that the recycling plant, expected to become operational next year, would significantly reduce pressure on landfill sites by converting waste into reusable materials.
Sanwo-Olu acknowledged that some Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operators were facing operational challenges due to rising costs and inadequate equipment but assured residents that government interventions were underway to improve their capacity.
The governor, however, urged Lagos residents to support the waste management system by paying their waste disposal bills promptly, noting that waste management is not the responsibility of government alone, but a collective responsibility.
"Waste management is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a collective responsibility. Residents must also play their part by paying for waste collection services. That is what enables the PSP operators to continue providing efficient services," Sanwo-Olu said.
Speaking further, Governor Sanwo-Olu reiterated that environmental sanitation remained a key priority of his administration, stressing that Lagos generates tens of thousands of tonnes of waste daily and requires the cooperation of government, businesses and residents to keep the state clean.
The governor also encouraged parents to involve their children in sanitation activities to instill environmental responsibility from an early age, describing cleanliness as essential to building a healthier and more sustainable Lagos.
The governor was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs. Olufemi Hamzat, and the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Hon. Tokunbo Wahab.
Also speaking during the sanitation exercise at Kosofe Local Government Area, the Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Olabode Agoro, reaffirmed the government's commitment to restoring environmental discipline across the state, declaring that the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise had come to stay as part of efforts to promote a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Lagos.
This was just as he stressed that the initiative was designed to gradually change residents’ attitude towards environmental cleanliness through sustained advocacy and enforcement.
Agoro expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance, noting that participation had continued to improve since the exercise was reintroduced.
"I wouldn’t say residents were reluctant; some were simply a bit lazy. Many were still asleep when we started. As we continue our advocacy, people are beginning to realise that the government is serious. This is the third exercise, and those who thought it was a one-off programme now know it will hold every month. We are already seeing more people come out to participate," he said.
The HOS, therefore, urged Lagos residents to cultivate the habit of proper waste disposal and desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, stressing that government alone could not keep the state clean.
"When people travel abroad, they obey environmental laws and avoid littering. We should demonstrate the same level of discipline here at home. Personally, when I have waste in my car, I keep it until I find a proper waste bin. Government cannot do everything; environmental cleanliness is our collective responsibility,” Agoro said.
Agoro further called on corporate organisations to strengthen partnerships with the state through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, noting that greater private sector collaboration would complement government efforts to build a cleaner, healthier and more resilient Lagos.
As part of enforcement activities during the exercise, officials sealed Houses 7 and 9 on Olorunfunmi Street, Oworonshoki, over filthy surroundings and environmental sanitation violations.
The enforcement team, led by Agoro, also inspected Olayiwola Street, Akewusola Salami Street, Alaba Street and Oyenubi Abiola Street, where residents were sensitised on proper waste management and environmental compliance.
Chairman of Kosofe Local Government, Hon. Moyosore Ogunlewe, who also spoke during the exercise, reiterated the council’s commitment to supporting the state’s environmental sanitation campaign through continuous public enlightenment and enforcement.
Ogunlewe, while describing environmental sanitation as a shared responsibility, urged residents to actively participate in the exercise, which now holds on the last Saturday of every month.
The council boss also announced that owners of freezers and other structures obstructing drainage channels along Olorunfunmi Street would be served removal notices.
“As you can see, some of these freezers have been placed directly on drainage alignments. We have directed our environmental officials to serve notices to the owners to remove them. Our advocacy will continue because keeping drainage channels free is critical to preventing flooding,” he said.
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