The Lagos State Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise for the month of June with its attendant restriction of human and vehicular Activities will hold between the hours of 7:00am-10am on Saturday 27th June, 2015.

According to Engr. Ayodeji Adenekan, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Lagosians are advised to actively participate in the Sanitation Exercise as the State Government further implored residents to clean their drains/canals thoroughly in view of anticipated heavy rains in the state.

He said that the Ministry of the Environment is intensifying its mid rain dredging, cleaning and maintenance of drainage channels across the state as part of its strategies to reduce the incidence of flooding.

“Lagosians must however, desist from dumping refuse in drainage channels and acts compromising drainage alignment, such as building and erection of structures on drainage setbacks among others. The essence is to allow easy passage of rainstorm which is the ultimate goal of this our clearing and cleaning of our drainage channels/canals”, he stressed.

He therefore advised entire Lagosians to be on the alert, but not panic as the state Government has put in place measures to contain flooding challenges in the State.

Engr. Adenekan warned residents who still patronize cart pushers to desist from the act as it is against the waste management policy of the State Government, adding that whatever refuse they collect are always dumped inside canals which eventually causes flooding.

He also warned interstate Bus Operators, Luxurious Bus Operators, State Transport Owners and Road Transport Workers Association to comply with the restriction of Human/vehicular movement order between 7.00am-10.00am as any vehicle caught violating this order will be dealt with appropriately, while passengers in such vehicles will be prosecuted according to the State Sanitation Laws.

The Permanent Secretary appealed to Lagosians to join hands with State Government in its effort to rid the state of all forms of environmental abuses.

He further assured that Law Enforcement Agencies including Nigerian Police and officials from LAWMA, LASTMA and KAI have been fully mobilized to enforce the non-restriction of movement order and warned that offenders will be prosecuted according to the State Sanitation Laws.

Fola Adeyemi