…Leads Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise with Wife
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to occupants of shanties and makeshift structures erected along the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, warning that a full-scale demolition exercise will commence next week.
The Governor announced the directive on Saturday while leading the State’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise alongside his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to environmental sustainability, public safety, and urban renewal.
Addressing journalists in Surulere, Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that enforcement teams would begin clearing all illegal structures from the Orile-Iganmu axis through Okokomaiko, stressing that the highway median must be preserved as a critical public asset.
“This is the final notice to everyone occupying the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. From next week, we are clearing the entire corridor. Every illegal structure will be removed,” the Governor declared.
He emphasized that the median was never intended for commercial activities or residential structures, noting that the Lagos-Badagry Expressway is a strategic 10-lane international corridor built with taxpayers’ resources.
“I will not stand by and allow this important gateway to be turned into a slum. Thousands of enforcement personnel will be deployed to ensure the exercise is successfully carried out,” he added.
Speaking on ongoing efforts to improve waste management across the State, Governor Sanwo-Olu revealed that Lagos would soon deploy an additional 150 waste compactors and introduce waste collection tricycles to enhance refuse evacuation in inner communities.
He also highlighted the government’s investment in long-term waste management infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art Material Recovery and Recycling Facility with the capacity to process approximately 4,250 metric tonnes of waste daily.
The Governor appealed to residents to support the reforms by disposing of waste responsibly and paying their waste collection bills promptly.
“Waste management is a shared responsibility. Government cannot do it alone. Residents must also support the process by paying for waste collection services to enable PSP operators deliver efficient service,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu further encouraged parents to instill environmental responsibility in their children by involving them in sanitation activities, describing cleanliness as a vital foundation for a healthier, safer, and more sustainable Lagos.
Meanwhile, during an inspection of the Olusosun Landfill, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said Lagos was transitioning from the traditional “collect-and-dump” waste disposal model to a modern circular waste management system.
According to him, the Olusosun facility will serve as a transfer loading station, moving about 2,500 metric tonnes of waste daily to the Material Recovery Facility under construction in Ikorodu, which is expected to commence operations before the end of the year.
He explained that the new system would transform waste into valuable resources such as energy and other reusable products, noting that the old linear waste management approach had become unsustainable due to increasing environmental concerns and limited land availability.
Wahab urged Lagos residents to remain patient and continue supporting the State Government as it implements the ongoing reforms aimed at building a cleaner, greener, and more resilient Lagos.
