In what appears to be a bold step toward environmental restoration and community-driven sustainability, the Environmental and Green Initiative for Sustainability (EGIS) on Friday, April 10, 2026, led a transformative riverbank clean-up exercise in Lafenwa Community, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The project, tagged “Project River-Care”, focused on tackling riverbank pollution and safeguarding the Ogun River, one of the community’s vital water sources.
The exercise mobilised 50 volunteers, alongside stakeholders from government ministries, environmental organisations, and recycling partners.
Participants included representatives from the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), the YALI Network Ogun, the Nigerian Youth Council, and private-sector partner Orange Strategy Waste Value.
Volunteers were deployed to four riverbank locations around Lafenwa, where they collected and evacuated roughly 530 kilogrammes of waste, including plastics and other solid materials. The activity not only cleared the riverbank but also raised crucial awareness among residents about proper waste disposal and its link to flooding, water contamination, and public health risks.
According to Surajdeen Alabede, Chairman and Founder of EGIS, the initiative marks “a significant step in restoring environmental sanitation and promoting community accountability for waste management.”
He commended the efforts of the EGIS team, volunteers and expressed appreciation to the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, most importantly, Mrs. Mary Durojaye, Director of Environmental Conservation and Resource Management, and Mrs. Abosede Siyanbola, Head of Market Sanitation and Special Duties Unit under OGWAMA, for their support.
Other important personalities present at the site included Oluwadamilare Oladotun, EGIS Executive Director; Titilayo Falaiye, representative of Orange Strategy Waste Value; and environmental advocates Michael Adefioye, Moyosoreoluwa Adebiyi, Yunuz Olashiji, and Priscilla Ohere. Their shared vision emphasised the power of grassroots collaboration to drive measurable environmental impact.
One of the volunteers, Alabi Olawale, a final-year student of Environmental Management and Toxicology, said that “the exercise was more than just a clean-up; it was an opportunity to drive environmental change and inspire collective responsibility. It was fulfilling to engage the community and highlight that careless waste disposal harms us all. Real change begins when we take responsibility for our environment.”
Beyond its immediate results, Project River-Care lays the foundation for ongoing efforts to protect water sources and promote sustainable waste management. EGIS plans to sustain the momentum through a multi-stakeholder dialogue webinar that will convene government representatives, recycling partners, environmental experts, and local advocates to explore long-term strategies for riverbank sanitation and water resource protection.
The initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – notably SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water) – by fostering cleaner environments, improving waste management systems, and strengthening community resilience.
With Project River-Care, EGIS and the people of Lafenwa have shown how small collective actions can make a lasting environmental impact, proving that community effort remains at the heart of a sustainable future.