By Evelyn Usman
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC has expressed displeasure over what it described as deliberate infractions of environmental laws by some Lagosians, threatening to prosecute erring residents accordingly.
To this end, it revealed that it had served over 30 buildings abatement notices on account of infractions such as distressed septic tanks, open discharge of effluent and unkempt general surrounding.
Corps Marshal of the Agency, CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (rtd) who made the disclosure yesterday at the Agency’s Command headquarters, in Bolade-Oshodi area of Lagos, disclosed that affected buildings were located in Oko-Oba, Agege, Jakande estate Ejigbo and Oshodi areas of Lagos.
According to her : “Through its Monitoring Team and petitions from concerned citizens, the Agency recently served three blocks of flats at the Millennium Housing Estate, Oko-Oba, Agege , abatement notices for contravening environmental infractions such as defective plumbing works, vegetal nuisance, open discharge of effluent, distressed septic tanks, , inappropriate discharge of waste water among others.
“In the same vein, blocks of flats at Jakande Estate, Ejigbo, were also served notices on related environmental infractions.
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“The Agency also carried out its operational activities around Olaolu and Igbeyin Adun streets in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area of the state , for other environmental contraventions, while four buildings/complex including a hotel around Egbeda-Akonwonjo area of the State were issued abatement notices on account of erecting permanent slabs on public drains with no provision for ease of desilting, a development causing disruption of free flow of water in the area, thereby resulting into flooding.
“The present administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is poised at ensuring a healthy and cleaner environment and as such, the Agency will continue to ensure necessary compliance and enforcement of all environmental laws across the nooks and crannies of the State”.
The exercise according to her was still ongoing and would be extended to gated estates and other areas of the State, stressing that all environmental infractions would not be tolerated by the agency .
She therefore, admonished Lagosians to adhere to the directives issued by the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, urging residents to adopt an attitudinal change by refraining from dumping refuse in drainage channels as well as avoid erecting structures on drainage alignments, emphasizing that “all residents owe the state a duty to support the efforts of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration to ensure that expected heavy rainfall and release of dam water do not wreak havoc in any part of the state”.
