The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has flagged off a renewed monthly sanitation initiative aimed at improving hygiene standards and strengthening environmental responsibility across the state.
Sanwo-Olu stated that the passion towards achieving a clean city requires collective effort from both government and citizens, stressing that environmental sanitation must remain a civic duty for all residents.
The symbolic exercise, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, on Saturday, was held along the Mushin–Agege Motor Road corridor, where the governor called on residents to take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean.
“A clean city is not achieved by government alone. It is built by the daily actions of the people who live in it,” the governor said.
He noted that the state’s streets, markets, drainage channels and other public spaces reflect how seriously residents take their responsibility to protect the environment they share.
The governor recalled that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise was once a nationwide practice observed on the last Saturday of every month, when Nigerians collectively cleaned their communities and cleared drainage channels to promote healthier living conditions.
According to him, the culture of sanitation had been deeply rooted in communities across Lagos before a court judgment ended the restriction of movement that previously accompanied the exercise.
While reaffirming the government’s respect for the rule of law, Sanwo-Olu said the end of movement restrictions did not remove citizens’ obligation to maintain a clean environment.
“While the enforcement mechanism changed, the responsibility to maintain a clean environment did not change. That responsibility remains with all of us,” he said.
He described the symbolic flag-off as a renewed call for civic responsibility and an effort to revive environmental consciousness among residents through voluntary participation and community partnership.
Sanwo-Olu also assured that the state government would continue to strengthen waste management systems, improve drainage infrastructure and intensify environmental enforcement across the state.
However, he warned that careless disposal of waste such as plastic bottles, wrappers and product packages contributes significantly to environmental degradation, flooding and public health risks.
“When waste is carelessly thrown on our streets or into our drains, it eventually returns to us in the form of flooding, environmental degradation and public health risks,” the governor said.
He urged Community Development Associations, market leaders, youth groups and other institutions to take ownership of environmental sanitation efforts in their communities.
According to him, building a cleaner Lagos begins with the daily choices residents make in their homes, workplaces and neighbourhoods.
“A cleaner Lagos begins with the choices we make every day. Let us all play our part,” Sanwo-Olu added.
