The Lagos State Government has lifted the restriction order on human and vehicular movement during the May Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise in order to allow for free movement of examination materials and also for Students, Invigilators and other Stakeholders to participate effectively in the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) Examination expected to be held across the Nation on Saturday, May 28, 2016.
The Honourable Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare who announced this in a press statement, however, urged Lagosians to still observe the monthly exercise by cleaning their homes and clear the drains in their neighbourhood so as to prevent flooding in the State and to allow free flow of water as the raining reason gathers momentum. He stressed that the monthly cleaning exercise will resume next month.
The Commissioner said that it became imperative for the State Government to waive the restriction order so as to not jeopardize the future of the candidates whose counterparts in other parts of the federation will write the same examination.
“As a responsible and responsive government, we value the education of our children very dearly and therefore resolved to relax the order in the interest of the future leaders of tomorrow,” Dr Adejare added.
According to him, “As we are all aware, Lagos is a Coastal City that has high water table levels and prone to flooding whenever it rains. We must therefore imbibe habits which will reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of flooding in the State”. The Commissioner enjoined Lagosians to shun acts that could aggravate the adverse global climatic conditions, noting that “people should not dump waste in unauthorized places like canals and drainage channels.
He said that the target of the state this year is to sustain past record of flood abatement, thus making it possible for the State not to experience flooding as in the past years, adding that, “this can only be achieved through effective collaboration of the people.”
He said that the issue of sanitation has become very critical, especially with the geometrical population explosion in the state, adding that the regular clean-up for a healthier, cleaner and Sustainable Environment has become a matter of survival for residents.
He urged the residents, to ensure that their environment is kept clean at all times and free from storm water stagnation, which could also be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other health hazards.
Adejare advised Lagosians not to patronize cart pushers who end up dumping the wastes into canals and Lagoons adding they should dispose their waste through LAWMA/PSP Operators. ‘’ This is how we can all assist to make the state deflooding programme a success.’’
He disclosed that the state government has embarked on continuous clearing, maintenance and dredging of canals across the state to preempt the incidences of flooding.
The Commissioner advised residents of the State to desist from dumping waste arbitrarily into the drainage channels and canals in order to maintain a flood-free Lagos. He also warned residents who still patronize cart pushers to desist from the illegal act as it is still an offence.
Tunde Awobiyi
Ministry of the Environment