Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have expedited actions in other to further enhance Lagos State Waste Management Agency, (LAWMA) regulatory roles in order to eradicate the environmental challenges in the State.
This is sequel to the recommendations of the report on Environmental Degradation in the State chaired by Hon. Moshood Oshun, Chairman, 6-Man Ad Hoc Committee.
Hon. Oshun had earlier presented the report to the House stating that the Committee had visited affected canals and water channels which were blocked due to the indiscriminate dumping of refuse by residents; thereby causing blockage of drainages and flood.
Hon. Tunde Braimoh indicated that Odo-Iya Alaro, Alapere, Ogudu and Ajegunle were among the exempted areas in the project.
He advised that the House should look into the letter of contracts awarded to the contractors and suggested that the Office of Drainage Services, ODS be re-introduced for monitoring of Canals and drainages in the State.
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the House stressed the need for the re-introduction of the Office of Drainage Services to critically monitor contractors and the creation of Sanitary Inspectors. He however, noted that the Ministry of Water Resources and Environment has created Environmental Corp for people to adhere to Environmental Laws.
Hon. Rasheed Makinde, in his remarks, admonished residents on condemning the government on blocked drainages, when they are the defaulters of the Law by engaging in refuse dumping in drainages. He emphasized on the need for thorough understudy of the issue of odour and the health effect on residents living at the Igando dumpsite, stressing need for environmental empowerment assessment.
According to Hon. Wahab Jimoh ”adequate result of the report cannot be assessed as the largest Canal which is the System 5 has been exempted from the project which therefore hinders the free flow of water from other Canals.”
Hon. David Setonji expressed that there were major over-sight from the contractors which must be reviewed. Adding his voice, Hon. Bisi Yusuf added that most canals are blocked due to illegal building structures on them and drastic actions must be taken against defaulters.
Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker, in his concluding remarks approved the amended recommendation of the 6-Man Ad Hoc Committee on Environmental Degradation as resolution of the House.
