Lagos State Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has urged residents to stop patronising unregulated cart pushers for waste disposal, warning that their activities could worsen environmental pollution and increase flooding risks.
Wahab gave the warning on Saturday during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, attended by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, his wife, Oluremi Hamzat, and other stakeholders.
The commissioner explained that unauthorised cart pushers often dump collected waste on roads, medians and drainage channels, thereby obstructing waterways and creating additional challenges for the state’s flood management efforts.
He said the Lagos State Government was working to establish a more effective and sustainable waste management system, while addressing challenges affecting landfills, dumpsites and major waste collection points.
Wahab acknowledged concerns over residents’ willingness to pay for waste collection, noting that people would be more inclined to patronise approved operators when services were reliable and satisfactory. He disclosed that the ministry was engaging Private Sector Participation operators to improve waste collection, disposal and coverage across the state.
The commissioner stressed that keeping Lagos clean was a shared responsibility, urging residents to dispose of waste properly and maintain clean surroundings throughout the year. He emphasised that environmental cleanliness should be a daily responsibility, not something observed only during monthly sanitation exercises.