The First Lady of Lagos, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and the state Head of Service, Olabode Agoro, have urged residents of Lagos to take part in the monthly environmental sanitation exercise to keep their surroundings clean and healthy.

The monthly exercise which was stopped following legal battles is being reintroduced after ten years with symbolic exercise in Obalende by the Sanwo-Olu’s wife and Agege by Lagos HoS.

Sanwo-Olu who performed the symbolic flag off and monitoring of the exercise at Obalende, described the turnout as encouraging, noting that the initiative is gradually gaining acceptance among Lagosians.

“It’s a gradual process… people are aware and participating. For a first-timer, I’m impressed,” she said.

She emphasised that sanitation should not be limited to the monthly exercise, urging residents to adopt daily cleaning habits to sustain a healthy environment.

Agoro spoke during the symbolic sanitation exercise in Agege, where he monitored activities and assessed compliance among residents. He explained that the exercise is still new and requires more public awareness and cooperation to be fully effective.

The sanitation programme which is designed to encourage residents to clean their environment, clear gutters, and prevent diseases caused by poor hygiene. During the exercise, movement is usually reduced as people stay back to clean their homes and communities.

Agoro noted that compliance was encouraging but said more effort is needed. He said:

“I believe there is substantial compliance we need to sensitize people more.”

He also addressed concerns about movement, stressing that the government did not stop people from going out. According to him, “People can move government did not say people should not move but people actually want to clean their environment that’s why they are not going out even bus drivers want to clean their environment that’s why they are not moving we are not restricting people from moving.”

He advised residents to make cleanliness a regular habit in order to stay healthy and avoid infections.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, revealed that compliance levels exceeded 98 per cent, attributing the success to voluntary participation and grassroots engagement.

“People want to keep Lagos clean and safe,” Wahab noted, adding that the government is focused on building community ownership rather than enforcing restrictions.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Agege Local Government, Abdulganiyu Obasa, said the council has been supporting the sanitation exercise through regular cleaning and drainage maintenance across the area.

He added that the initiative is important for building a cleaner community and assured that the local government will continue to improve enforcement to make future exercises more effective.

“Environmental sanitation in the first place is all rounded by enforcement anything you want to do has to be enforced and I am sure for us as a local government we are making sure we do that and I am sure the state government is putting a lot of things in place to make sure enforcement is carried out on a regular basis so we will continue to get better these is the first one I am sure the second and third one we be more perfect.”