World Clean-up Day: Lagos urges residents to imbibe culture of consistent environmental clean-up

The Lagos State Government over the weekend joined the Global community in commemorating 2023 World Clean Up Day, urging every resident to imbibe and sustain the culture of consistent clean-up of the environment.

Speaking during the sensitization campaign and symbolic clean-up exercise held at Agiliti Community and its immediate environs, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Mr. Gaji Omobolaji said it behove all individuals to collectively contribute their quota in achieving and ensuring environmental sustainability.

The Permanent Secretary, who spoke through the Director, Sanitation Services, Dr. Hassan Sanuth said waste generation is an unavoidable aspect of man’s activities and should be well managed.

He added that sustainable management of such waste is a challenge faced in the State as a result of the large and increasing population with wrong waste management attitude and practice which underscore the importance of a regular clean-up exercise.

He explained that World Clean-up Day is a global social action program first observed in Estonia (a European country) in 2018 aimed at combating the global solid waste problem including the problem of marine waste, saying the exercise is carried out every year to galvanise citizens to clean up and sanitise their environment

Gaji said undoubtedly there is a strong correlation between sanitation and health problems such as malaria, diarrhea, cholera as well as death adding that there is no doubt that the environment needs people and people need the environment.

He advised everyone present for the exercise to put their full commitment into it in order to ensure the complete cleanup of the designated areas as it is a clarion call that has the support and backing of Mr. Governor.

“I therefore call on everyone present today to take it as a civic responsibility to ensure the regular clean up of our immediate environment. Today’s exercise will focus on the cleaning and sensitization of Agiliti Community and its immediate environment. I want to appreciate and thank everyone for this selfless service which we had embarked on” he said.

He said the participants would commence the exercise from  Aina road through Agiliti bus stop to Irepodun Street saying that refuse compactor trucks have been made available to evacuate all waste collected immediately.

The Permanent Secretary commended the Baale of Agiliti Community, Volunteer Groups, NGOs, CDAs, Community members, and all other participants present at the clean-up exercise for making it a resounding success.

He said all participants are vanguards of the environment and implored other citizens of the State to emulate the gestures in order to ensure adequate protection of the environment which will in turn result in the sustainable development of Lagos State.

In his remarks, the Baale of Agiliti community, Chief Atanda Jimoh Onikosi expressed appreciation to the government for the initiative and called on residents to support the government to sustain the culture of consistent cleanup of their environment as well as make it an everyday attitude.

He enjoined everyone to bear in mind that cleanliness is next to Godliness, adding that unhealthy practices in the environment could lead to the spread of diseases.