A former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Mr. Olawale Edun, says Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration has distributed about two million waste bags and 250,000 garbage bins to residents.
Edun made this known to newsmen on the sidelines of the Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting held at Eti-Osa Constituency ll on Wednesday in Lagos.
“About two million waste bags and 250,000 garbage bins have been distributed to the state residents free of charge by the state government to promote healthier environment,” he said.
Edun, who presided over the meeting, urged residents of Ikoyi and Obalende areas of Lagos to give cleaner environment priority by being observant and protect their immediate environment.
He decried the rate at which the highbrow areas were being defaced, saying it was becoming alarming.
Edun said the ugly development was illegal and capable of causing grave danger to the community.
He, however, called for strict adherence to the laws regulating waste management in the state.
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Edun commended the lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Constituency ll, Gbolahun Yishawu, for his proactive representation in the assembly.
According to him, Yishawu always keep in touch with his constituents and performed creditably well in terms of empowerment to the community.
Yishawu, in his remarks, said that essence of the constituency meeting was to deliberate on issues affecting the general wellbeing, to rub minds on issues of concern and greater progress of the state.
He said the meeting was to educate citizens on government policies and activities, and taking the community’s complaints and suggestions back to the executive arm of government for necessary action.
According to him, leadership of state House of Assembly has decided to address the issues of environmental challenges from various constituencies.
“However, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria, with over 22 million people attracting a daily influx of over 6,000 migrants.
“The state certainly faces daunting rapid environmental problems which include among others, waste generation and management,” he said.
Yishawu said the stakeholders’ meeting would help in curbing the continued indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the streets, drainage channels and major highways in the state.
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The lawmaker assured residents in his constituency that the 9th assembly would continue to do everything possible within its capacity to bring governance closer to people to facilitate participatory governance.
“The progress of our state is a collective responsibility. We urge you to continue to support the government by performing your civic responsibility,’’ he said.
Also, Mr. Fuad Lawal, Chairman, Ikoyi-Obalende Local Government Area (LCDA), lauded Yishawu for bringing empowerment to the grassroots, urging residents to make use of waste bags.
Lawal said the refuse bags were gathered from recycled plastic collected from the bins, urging the residents to avoid disposing refuse on the roads.
In her remarks, Alhaja Adeola Williams, a representative from Ikoyi, commended Yishawu for empowering women in his constituency.
Williams called for more information and enlightenment to educate residents on the need to bag their refuse.
She said that this would reduce increase in refuse generation in the area, as well as the attendant illegal dumping of refuse in unauthorised places.
She said that government was committed to attaining a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
Also, Malam Garba Adam from Obalende appealed to the state government to place refuse disposal trucks at every strategic area in Obalende, and ensure prompt evacuation to save the community from epidemic.
He decried the ugly development whereby some residents continued to patronise cart pushers and dump waste indiscriminately on the roads in spite of several warnings on environmental and health implications of such acts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the constituency meeting was centered on “ Environmental Challenges: Community Engagement to Facilitate Lasting Solution.”
NAN reports that at the meeting various items were given as part of the Yishawu’s empowerment programmes.
The items include: deep freezer, gas, sewing machine, grinding machines, Bass guitar, provisions, food items, washing machines and separation machines.
Others were: life jackets, hair dryer, make up kits, laptop, desktops, vulcaniser tools, mechanic tools, blender machines for shoe cobblers, among others. (NAN)
