LAGOS GOVT ANNOUNCES RETURN OF MONTHLY ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Lagos State Government has announced the resumption of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise nearly a decade after it was suspended.
Residents across Lagos are expected to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in front of their homes, and dispose of waste properly as part of efforts to improve environmental hygiene and tackle waste management challenges in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed the development in a statement on Saturday, noting that the exercise would officially restart later in the year.
“I am pleased to inform all Lagosians that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume effective Saturday, 25th April 2026, holding on the last Saturday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
“During this period, residents are enjoined to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in their frontages, and dispose of waste properly as a civic responsibility,” Wahab said.
He urged residents to view the initiative as a collective duty toward building a healthier city, adding that the government would ensure strict compliance.
“This exercise is a collective responsibility and a vital part of our commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and flood-resilient Lagos. And it shall be backed with the full enforcement weight of the Lagos State Government,” he added.
Explaining the significance of the policy, the commissioner said the state was returning to a sanitation culture that was once part of daily life for many residents.
“Let me formally say this and say it boldly. Mr Governor and his deputy are taking a very audacious step. For those who don’t know, prior to 2016, we had a culture that emphasised cleanliness as next to godliness.
“Once every month, we took our time to clean up our surroundings and then maintain them sparkling. However, for some years, we stopped it,” he said.
According to Wahab, the suspension of the exercise contributed to increasing environmental challenges in the state.
“Now, waste, debt, and environmental challenges have become an existential challenge to us as a state. It’s taken us over a year to debate, talk, and agree that it’s time to reintroduce a monthly environmental sanitation,” he explained.
Appealing for cooperation, he urged residents to dedicate at least one or two hours monthly to keeping their environment clean.
The sanitation exercise, which was previously held on the last Saturday of every month between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 following a legal pronouncement restricting movement during the exercise. The suspension coincided with rising waste management concerns, including clogged drainage channels and indiscriminate refuse disposal in parts of the state.
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