Enforcement of environmental laws not out of wickedness – Lagos govt

The Lagos State Government has restated that its quest to enforce all environmental laws is not based on wickedness or high-handedness but an essential part of good governance.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known while speaking during an X Space programme on Tuesday.

Wahab, who spoke on the topic “Lagos and the battle for a Clean, Sustainable and Resilient Environment,” said the state would continually enforce laws on noise pollution, street partying, and street trading among others to benefit the greater majority of residents.

He said in the past few months, some churches and mosques have been sealed in the state for noise pollution, stressing that such religious houses cannot continue to inconvenience residents with their religious activities.

The commissioner lamented that the infrastructure in the state is overwhelmed because the state, which experiences an influx of people daily, houses 10 per cent of the country’s population.

He said waste management is an issue that the state government is tackling headlong with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), adding that the introduction of Private Sector Partnership (PSP) operators was a game changer.

He further stated that the state government has initiated different Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with reputable companies on waste conversion and waste to wealth.

He concluded by urging residents to take ownership of the environment and not to see drainages in the state as suitable for waste dumping.