By Our Reporter
The Lagos State Government has clarified guidelines for the reintroduction of its monthly environmental sanitation exercise, scheduled to resume on Saturday, April 25, 2026, with movement restrictions and strict enforcement measures.
Speaking in a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced that the exercise will take place on the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
He explained that controlled movement would be enforced during the sanitation period to enable residents clean their homes, surroundings, and drainage systems thoroughly.
Wahab added that enforcement teams made up of officials from relevant agencies—including the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Kick Against Indiscipline, the Lagos Waste Management Authority, and local government sanitation inspectors—will monitor compliance through inspections during and after the exercise. He warned that violators would face penalties in line with existing environmental laws.
According to him, waste collected during the exercise will be evacuated by LAWMA trucks, while incentives will be introduced to reward the cleanest local government areas, local council development areas, and streets to encourage participation.
He urged residents to cooperate with the initiative, stressing the need for collective responsibility in maintaining a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment.
The clarification follows the symbolic launch of the programme along the Mushin–Agege Motor Road corridor on March 14, ahead of its full rollout later this month.
The sanitation exercise, which was suspended in November 2016 after a court ruling against movement restrictions, is making a return after nearly a decade. While many residents have welcomed the initiative as a way to curb poor waste disposal and flooding, others have raised concerns over possible abuse of enforcement and called for continuous public awareness on proper sanitation practices.