Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos state commissioner for environment and water resources, on Sunday, tasked all the state agencies to be up and about to ensure a cleaner environment in 2025.

Mr Wahab made this known while speaking with journalists after an inspection tour of the ongoing projects and new ones in Lagos Island and its environs to kick start the activities for the year.

He also advised Lagosians and residents to take ownership of the infrastructures provided by the government.

“We shall continue to help our people and show them reasons why they can’t keep behaving this way and expect a different result.

“We have provided infrastructure but the humans must take ownership of those infrastructures and that is what this year is going to be about.

“On our part, we must also take ownership of those responsibilities that have been given to us.

“All our agencies must be out there to do the work. Not just the Lagos State Waste Management Authority or the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, or LASPARK,” he said.

On the inspection tour, Mr Wahab, who was delighted about the extent of the work, said the ministry would continue to ensure a cleaner environment for the state.

“Today was just to assess and review what the governor had approved. This should be our fifth time of coming to Lagos Island in the past one year, four months.

“We saw the level of degradation. But if you press men will be fair to government, there was an infrastructure that was built by Julius Berger.

“The infrastructure was properly done, road networked with proper drainage and walkway, but human bad behavior over time clocked the system.

“So, what the governor had done is re-award the whole of Lagos Island road infrastructure, drainage infrastructure that was awarded last year so we have come to see to be sure the contractors are fully ready and are on site,” he said.

He said that was the reason for the inspection and to ensure the contractors were doing the work as required.

“We have come to inspect and our response is prompt. What I told the engineers and the permanent secretaries is that we should find a way to appeal to the contractors.

“We can appeal to them to bridge the time from 24 months to maybe 18 or even 15 or 16 months and then prioritise some of those critical collectors like the one around the Ojogiwa Adeniji that would discharge and come towards Ilubinrin.

“We can’t drop the ball, we can’t wait for the rains to come on us, we have to start working from day one and that’s what we are doing.

“So, assessment is fine, contractors mobilised and then within us we have a working group to put them on their toes,” he said.

While talking about Ilubinrin, the commissioner said that the project going on there was critical to what the ministry was doing in Lagos Island.

“This is the most critical infrastructure to what we are doing inside Lagos Island. Now, we have been here several times. But for me, today is one of my happiest moments coming here.

“It is ready. They will energise this place within the next 10 days or thereabout.

“Once it’s energised, you see the infrastructure in place. These three big pumps are ready to go. The 1000 KVA generators are there. The system is ready.

“Transformers are in place dedicated for this project. Now, everything we are doing in Lagos Island will still have to come through this place, and this will now discharge it into the lagoon.

“So, that’s why it is so critical to what we are providing for them in Lagos Island and we thank everyone for being patient with us,” he said.

He said that there would be an increased advocacy in 2025 to ensure compliance to law and order.

“People came into Lagos this last December, did this so many dirts? No, because we were on top of our game.

“This year will be much more bigger and then we must start the advocacy from now,” he said.

He thanked Lagosians for being patient and assured them of a better and cleaner environment in 2025.

The commissioner, during the tour, ordered the immediate sealing of three buildings on Adeniji Adele road for dumping of building materials on the drainage channels.

He noted that there was going back on the ban on single use plastics, adding that littering especially with styrofoam had reduced in the state.

The places visited by the team include Bombata Multipurpose Market; Oroyinyin area; Princess Street, Isale Gangan; Aroloya Street; Idumagbo Street; Adeniji Adele Trapezoidial Canal; Epe Collector Drain along Adeniji Adele Road and Ilubirin.

(NAN)