The Lagos State Government has said it would partner with local governments in the state to ensure hygiene in markets and tackle environmental offences.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of the Environment, Dr Gaji Tajudeen, disclosed this, according to a statement on Wednesday, during the Badagry divisional community engagement/stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos.
Tajudeen, who was represented by a director in the office, Bolade Fasasi, urged the heads of sanitation in local government areas to renew their partnership with the agency to rid the state of environmental violations.
He said, “In this vein, we implore our councils to be partners in progress and not give room for touts and unauthorised personnel to establish illegal markets, which contribute largely to littering of roads and blockage of drainages and canals.
“Hawking, street trading, indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains and canals as well as refusal to pay Lagos Waste Management Authority-Private Sector Participation waste bills by public and private buildings are punishable offences and thus remain enforceable by Kick Against Indiscipline and other relevant agencies.”
The Corps Marshal, Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, Gbemisola Akinpelu, said, “This stakeholders’ meeting will serve as a platform in providing solutions to maintaining a high level of hygiene in Lagos environs and obeying the state environmental laws to achieve in tandem with the THEMES agenda of Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s cleaner and greener vision.”