Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has re-launched the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Lagos, calling on residents to take greater responsibility for keeping the state clean.
The governor marked the symbolic restart on Saturday in Mushin, along Agege Motor Road, nearly ten years after the exercise was suspended.
Sanwo-Olu said maintaining a clean city could not be achieved by government alone but required the daily actions and commitment of residents across the state.
He noted that the condition of streets, markets, drainage channels and public spaces reflects how seriously residents take their responsibility toward the environment and one another.
The governor recalled that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise was once a nationwide practice observed on the last Saturday of every month, during which citizens came together to clean their surroundings and clear drainage channels.
While acknowledging that a court ruling later halted the restriction of movement associated with the exercise, Sanwo-Olu said the responsibility to maintain a clean environment remains unchanged.
He explained that the re-launch is aimed at reviving environmental consciousness among residents through awareness, partnership and voluntary participation.
Sanwo-Olu added that the state government would continue to strengthen waste management systems, improve drainage infrastructure and enforce environmental regulations to support the initiative.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, described the reintroduction of the sanitation exercise as a key step toward improving public health and environmental sustainability in Lagos.
Wahab said the initiative aligns with the administration’s development agenda and is designed to promote community participation in environmental cleanliness while reducing the risk of flooding and disease outbreaks.
He urged residents to clean their homes, surroundings and drainage channels in front of their properties, noting that officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority would be available to collect properly bagged waste.
The commissioner also warned against illegal waste disposal, open defecation, burning of refuse and other environmental infractions, stressing that the Lagos State Environmental Law remains in force.
Wahab added that agencies under the ministry, including Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and the Kick Against Indiscipline, would strengthen collaboration to sustain a clean and healthy environment across the state.