The executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, commended the state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, for his efforts in ensuring the clearing of illegal dumpsites in the state.
The governor also condemned the improper disposal of waste by some residents of the state, adding that Lagosians should join in the work to keep the state clean.
He added that the state’s clean-up required passion for a hygienic environment and discipline, both of which made the commissioner the right fit for the job.
In a series of tweets via his profile on X, Sanwo-Olu wrote, “The Clean up of Lagos, getting rid of waste and reducing pollution is a shared vision and collective effort that demands out-of-the-box thinking and extreme discipline.
“When I moved @tokunbo_wahab to the role of Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, it was because I saw passion and pragmatism as well as the discipline required to do the difficult things.”
The governor also commended the joint efforts of the Lagos State Waste Management Agency, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, for their proactiveness.
“Working closely with @Lawma_gov, @LasepaOfficial, @LAGESCOfficial, as well as other agencies, they have hit the ground running in the efforts to clean up Lagos.”
The governor also attached a video showing the transformation of an illegal dumpsite in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of the state to a sand-filled area, devoid of waste, after sanitation works had begun.
“This is a very good example of clearing and regenerating an illegal dumpsite in Amuwo Odofin.
“A lot of such projects are going on across the state and I need the support of ALL residents in achieving the success of this goal,” he wrote.
Sanwo-Olu urged the state residents to “stop indiscriminate dumping. Bag your waste. Patronise PSP operators.”
In recent times, the state government, through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, has taken its advocacy for a safe, living environment to a higher level.
The state shut down some notable markets within the metropolis due to the improper disposal of waste and pollution issues.
Some of the previously sealed markets are the Agbado Oke-Odo Market, Mile 12 International Market, Owode Onirin Market, Alaba Market and Alade Market in the Onigbongbo area of the state.
The ministry also demolished structures built on drainage in some parts of the state, including Lekki Phase II and Ikota areas among others.
Before his current appointment, Wahab was appointed by Sanwo-Olu as his Special Adviser on Education in 2019.
In that capacity, he worked hard to ensure that the state’s bid to get two more universities accredited by the National Universities Commission was achieved.
To his credit, on February 8, 2022, the NUC approved the take-off of the two new specialised universities in Lagos State.
While the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education morphed into the Lagos State University of Education; the Lagos State Polytechnic was upgraded to the Lagos State University of Science and Technology.
