The ongoing evacuation of accumulated waste by the Lagos government has drawn commendation from residents, who described the exercise as a relief after weeks of overflowing refuse heaps.

The residents, who spoke in separate interviews on Friday in Lagos, said the clean-up had improved sanitation in many communities, although some areas were still awaiting evacuation.

Mariam Adebayo, a trader at Oshodi Oke, said refuse that had accumulated near the market for weeks had been cleared, making the environment more conducive for business.

“The difference is obvious. Customers no longer complain about the offensive smell, and the area looks much cleaner. We hope the government will make this a continuous exercise,” she said.

In Mushin, Solanke Oladipo, who lives near Daleko Bridge, said the exercise had brought relief but urged quicker evacuation in flood-prone areas.

“Whenever it rains, the drains overflow. If refuse is left too long, it blocks the drainage and worsens flooding. Clearing the waste regularly will help reduce the problem,” she said.

Joseph Ogbodo, a commercial driver on the Lekki-Epe corridor, commended the cleaner roadsides but urged residents to stop indiscriminate waste disposal.

“We appreciate what the government is doing, but residents also have a role to play. Some people still dump refuse on road medians at night. If that continues, the heaps will return,” he said.

Also, Nkechi Eke, a resident of Egbeda, called for more frequent household waste collection to discourage illegal dumping.

“People sometimes resort to dumping waste in open spaces because collection is delayed. More regular collection will help keep communities clean,” she said.

Similarly, Stella Babatunde, a resident of Yaba, advocated stricter enforcement against environmental offenders.

“The public should be enlightened about these things and punished for failing to comply. That’s the only way they will learn and adopt proper waste disposal habits,” she said.

The residents agreed that while the ongoing evacuation had restored hope for a cleaner Lagos, the government should sustain the exercise to prevent a recurrence of waste accumulation.

(NAN)