The Lagos State Government (LASG) on Monday, June 30, 2025, urged traders and residents to keep their environment clean and imbibe good environmental sanitation and hygiene practices.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said this in a statement made available in Lagos.
The statement was issued and signed by the Director Public Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Kunle Adeshina.
Wahab said this when he received the founder of Kokun Foundation, Mr. Olukokun Adepeju, who led some widows and volunteers on a roadshow and sensitisation visit to his office in Ikeja
He said it was compulsory for everyone to be on the same page with the government for a sustainable environment.
“The Clean Market Initiative, I am glad Kokun himself led this march.
“We, as a government, can’t just do enough without the residents’ support.
“So, I implore you all to keep doing this Clean Market Sensitisation until we get all our people to be on the same page with government on environmental hygiene.
“Cleanliness is next to godliness. That’s what all our religious books tell us,” Wahab said.
He said the present administration was determined to continually promote a clean and healthy environment.
Wahab added that the government was determined to encourage community participation in maintaining a clean environment and waste management to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in the state.
“The cleanliness we are talking about starts from each and every one of us.
“How do we treat our environment? How do we treat our markets? How do we treat our waste? We must always take cognizance of the aforementioned at all times for our safety,” Wahab said.
He said the residents must imbibe good environmental sanitation as a way of life.
“Such residents must clean their and clean their tertiary drainage, while waste management officials are always available to collect their wastes and disposed it of properly,” he said.
Wahab reiterated that residents should desist from dumping their wastes on the roads, road median or setback, open spaces and canals.
He added that they should avoid open urination or defecation, saying that the government would continue to enforce and prosecute defaulters in line with the environmental laws of the state.
He urged traders to stop selling their wares on the road and move into the markets in order to continually promote a clean, healthy, safe, flood free, and sustainable environment.
“On behalf of the LASG, we appreciate this laudable initiative. Words alone are not enough to express how we feel about this clean-up market sensitisation initiative carried out by the Kokun Foundation.
“On behalf of everyone here, I want to say thank you very much, and don’t let it stop here. Keep sending the message across to everyone you know.
“Keep telling them about maintaining a good environmental sanitation lifestyle,” he said
In his response, Adepeju expressed appreciation to the state government for ensuring a sustainable environment.
He added that continuous effort to clean up and sanitise the state by the government was for the best interest of all residents.
Adepeju said the group had gone to various markets to sensitise them on maintaining a clean environment, while pledging that the foundation would continue to sensitise market women and men.
“This is to continue to inculcate the culture of engaging in environmental sanitation always as well as endeavour to dispose of waste responsibly,” he said.
By Olaitan Idris