Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, has said that the State Government has dedicated the statewide Environmental Sanitation Exercise for the month of August 2014, holding on Saturday 30th August 2014, between the hours of 7.00am-10.00am, towards massive advocacy campaign and demonstration of preventive measures to curb the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease.
He noted that as a responsible and responsive Government, the present administration would continue to be in the forefront of the campaign for a healthier and sustainable environment.
According to him, “over the years the present administration had embarked on massive public enlightenment to educate Lagosians on the need to desist from unhygienic acts like open urination and defecation, cleaning of our Environment and proper waste management, as its consequences are grievous”.
“Now that we have an index case of the Ebola virus disease in the state, this is now another wakeup call for all Lagosians to desist from unhygienic acts that could spread the disease”, he added.
Noting that officials from his Ministry will, during the August Sanitation Exercise, go round the state to demonstrate preventive steps and ways to prevent the spread of the disease, Bello emphasized that the State Government has zero tolerance for acts such as defecating and urinating in the public, street trading, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and constructions of structures along drainage alignments.
The Commissioner urged Lagosians to troop out in large number and actively participate in the statewide exercise, stressing that efforts should be concentrated on the cleaning of drains, canals and fumigation of our environment, in order to completely eliminate the disease in the state.
While advising Lagosians to sustain the Solid Waste Management Programme of the State Government through the patronage of LAWMA/PSP operators for the disposal of their solid waste and LSWMO for waste water management challenges, he warned residents who still patronize cart pushers to desist from this illegal act as it is inimical to the wellbeing of Lagosians.
Tunji Bello also implored interstate and Luxurious Bus Operators, Transport Owners and Road Transport Workers Association to comply with the restriction on human/vehicular movement order between 7.00am-10.00am as any vehicle caught violating this order would be dealt with appropriately, while passengers in such vehicles would be prosecuted according to the State Environmental Sanitation Law.
He concluded that Law Enforcement Agents including Nigerian Police and officials from LASTMA and KAI have been fully mobilized to enforce the restriction of movement order and warned that violators would be prosecuted according to the State Environmental Sanitation Law.
