On September 26, 2026, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the First Lady of Lagos State, urged residents to be patient with the state government as it addresses the lingering waste management challenges across the state. She made the appeal while monitoring the sixth edition of the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Mafoluku, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area. Sanwo-Olu expressed concern over the volume and mixture of waste generated in some residential streets.
Sanwo-Olu visited several streets, including Ajibulu, Oluyeye, Olowora, Eweje, Ayinde, and Ola-Ore, accompanied by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu. She emphasized the government's commitment to restoring cleaner and healthier communities but urged Lagosians to support the effort by changing their attitude towards waste disposal.
Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of proper waste sorting at the household and community levels, stating that separating recyclable, dry, and wet waste would make collection, evacuation, and management easier. She noted that this was an area the government was focusing on as part of its efforts to improve environmental sanitation across Lagos.
The First Lady also highlighted the importance of maintaining cleaner and more sustainable communities at the grassroots, noting that proper sanitation was crucial to preventing the spread of communicable diseases. She acknowledged concerns over waste evacuation and urged the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to be more responsive.
Residents of Olowora and Eweje streets raised concerns over prolonged neglect of waste evacuation in their communities, alleging that heaps of refuse had remained on their streets for about six months. They claimed to have continued paying their Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste collection bills regularly but appealed to the state government to ensure prompt evacuation of refuse.
The statewide sanitation exercise, reintroduced by the Lagos State Government, continued across communities on Saturday, aiming to encourage residents to take greater responsibility for environmental cleanliness. Sanwo-Olu commended residents, particularly women and children in Oshodi-Isolo, for participating in the sanitation exercise and urged them to sustain the practice beyond the monthly exercise.
Sanwo-Olu concluded by urging Lagosians to be patient, stating that it was a work in progress, and that with sustained efforts by all stakeholders, the situation could only improve. The government, she said, was working towards ensuring that Lagos is kept clean, and that with the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, residents would remember the importance of keeping their environment clean.
Key points
- Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu urges residents to be patient as the Lagos State Government intensifies efforts to address waste management challenges.
- Sanwo-Olu emphasizes the importance of proper waste sorting at the household and community levels.
- Residents of Olowora and Eweje streets raise concerns over prolonged neglect of waste evacuation in their communities.
