Environmental sanitation: Lagos to reward cleanest LG monthly, says commissioner

Lagos State is taking a proactive stance on environmental cleanliness with the reintroduction of its monthly sanitation exercise, a move that Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, believes will foster a stronger culture of environmental responsibility. The exercise, now scheduled for the last Saturday of every month, aims to dedicate just 120 minutes to cleaning up communities.

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After today’s exercise, we will assess all local governments and announce the cleanest among them for recognition within the week.

To encourage participation and healthy competition, the state government will introduce incentives for the cleanest local government area each month. This initiative seeks to motivate local authorities and residents alike to prioritize cleanliness, transforming it from a chore into a shared community goal. The commissioner noted the impressive compliance rate, estimated at over 98%, suggesting a strong public desire for a cleaner Lagos.

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The idea is to build a culture of giving just 120 minutes in a month, which is not too much, to clean the environment and make Lagos clean and safe.

While the government possesses legal authority to enforce restrictions during the exercise, it has opted for a strategy that emphasizes voluntary compliance and community ownership. This approach, supported by favorable court judgments, aims to build a sustainable habit rather than relying solely on enforcement.

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We have favourable judgments affirming our powers, but we chose to build community ownership rather than enforce strict restrictions.

The first full implementation of the reintroduced exercise saw significant participation, with commercial activities minimal and residents actively engaged in cleaning their surroundings. The wife of the governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, described the turnout as encouraging and the response as positive, highlighting the gradual but effective rebuilding of environmental consciousness across the state. The emphasis is now on integrating daily sanitation habits alongside the monthly exercise for a lasting impact.

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The exercise this morning is encouraging. It was flagged off last month and this is the first full implementation.