--- 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲, 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
The Councillor representing Ward A in Agege Local Government, Hon. Kazeem Hamzat (Onile), has joined forces with the Supervisor for Education, Hon. Tahir Taoheed, and the Supervisor for Information, Hon. Olayiwola Rasheed Emmanuel, to tackle indiscriminate refuse dumping in parts of Isale-Oja Community.
The intervention followed the discovery of several environmental black spots at Imam Mukthar Lane, Oloko Lane and behind Olalabi Compound during an inspection tour of communities across the ward.
The three representatives immediately arranged for a compactor to evacuate the accumulated refuse, while warning landlords and residents in the affected areas against allowing their surroundings to be converted into illegal dumpsites.
The representatives expressed concern that some individuals, including electrical condemned-material buyers, sugarcane sellers and other operators, were allegedly contributing to the indiscriminate dumping, particularly during the night.
Speaking during the exercise, Hon. Kazeem Onile said the intervention was necessary to safeguard the health and wellbeing of residents and maintain a clean environment across the ward.
“We cannot continue to allow our communities to be turned into dumping grounds. Every landlord and resident has a responsibility to keep the environment around their homes clean. We are appealing to everyone to cooperate with us because maintaining a clean environment is a collective responsibility,” he said.
Hon. Tahir Taoheed stressed that environmental cleanliness was essential to the wellbeing of families and the development of healthy communities.
“A healthy environment is essential for a healthy society. We must not wait until refuse becomes a major health or environmental hazard before we act. We are calling on landlords, residents and business operators to take ownership of their immediate surroundings and stop practices that compromise the cleanliness of our communities,” he said.
He also urged residents to support environmental monitoring efforts by promptly drawing the attention of the relevant authorities to activities that could lead to the emergence of new black spots.
For Hon. Olayiwola Rasheed Emmanuel, the inspection underscored the importance of regular engagement with communities and responding promptly to issues identified on the ground.
“Our responsibility is not only to sit in offices; we must go into the communities, see what is happening and respond where necessary. What we saw here requires the attention of everyone. We are therefore charging landlords and residents to take charge of their environment and prevent these locations from becoming dumpsites again,” he said.
The Supervisor for Information further warned that the evacuation exercise should not be regarded as a licence for the illegal dumping of refuse to continue, noting that enforcement measures would follow if the practice recurred.
He said landlords and residents could face sanctions, including the sealing of premises where environmental violations persist, in line with applicable environmental laws and regulations.
The three representatives also called on the Environmental Monitoring Team overseeing the ward to identify, document and monitor other black spots across the communities, with a view to preventing the recurrence of indiscriminate refuse dumping.
The exercise was joined by the Supervisor for Environment, Hon. Olabisi Emmanuel (Na Correct), Chief Olayiwola Mutairu, members of the Environmental Enforcement Team, community youths and other stakeholders, who participated in the inspection and waste evacuation.
The representatives reiterated the need for residents to take greater responsibility for the cleanliness of their immediate surroundings, stressing that a cleaner and healthier Agege requires the collective cooperation of government, landlords, residents, businesses and community stakeholders.
By Jena Olayiwola Rashers
