As Lagos prepares for increased human and commercial activities during the festive season, the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has begun a pre-festive cleaning operation in Ikoyi, targeting drainage channels and other areas requiring urgent environmental attention.
The exercise, which began on Wednesday, is part of LAWMA’s wider plan to intensify sanitation operations across strategic locations in the state ahead of the festive period.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the operation commenced with the cleaning of drainage channels along the Bourdillon, Alexander and Gerrard corridors in Ikoyi.
Workers were deployed to remove accumulated silt, waste and other materials obstructing the channels, with evacuated materials immediately taken away to prevent them from washing back into the drains.
For residents, businesses and motorists in the area, the intervention is expected to improve the flow of stormwater and reduce the environmental problems that can arise when drainage channels become clogged, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
Gbadegesin said the cleaning would continue on other streets in Ikoyi before moving to Victoria Island and other parts of Lagos under the Authority’s pre-festive sanitation programme.
He urged residents and businesses to support the operation by keeping drainage channels free of waste, properly packaging their refuse and handing it over to accredited Private Sector Participation, PSP, operators for proper disposal.
The LAWMA boss also appealed to residents and businesses to provide sanitation workers with unhindered access to areas requiring attention and avoid activities that could obstruct cleaning operations.
He reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to sustaining strategic sanitation interventions across Lagos, stressing that keeping the city clean requires not only government action but the cooperation of residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
With festive activities expected to increase movement and waste generation across the city, LAWMA’s message is clear: a cleaner Lagos begins with what residents do with their waste before it reaches the streets and drains.
Innocent Onoh
