The Lagos State Government through its Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), has sealed over 300 religious houses, hotels, night clubs and others across the state over unhealthy environmental practices within the last one year.
Aside from this, LASEPA also issued over 70 abatement notices to individuals and organization violating laws on indiscriminate discharge of sewage into the lagoon within the period under review.
Meanwhile, the state government has warned residents to desist from unhealthy environmental practices that could undermine the government’s effort in protecting the environment against degradation and other climate change effects.
The State Commissioner for the Environment & Water Resources, Tokunboh Wahab, during a Ministerial press briefing in Ikeja to commemorate the 1st year anniversary of the governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s second tenure in office yesterday.
Wahab said: “The Ministry during the period under review through its State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) undertook 367 enforcement activities in households, markets, hotels, warehouses, service centers, eateries, stores, church, mosques as well as 140 hospitality facilities including; Supermarket, Nightclubs, Bake houses with a view to ensuring compliance with the state environmental laws.
“76 abatement notices were served to individuals and organizations violating laws on indiscriminate discharge of raw sewerage in to the lagoon or other forms of water and land pollution.
“A 25 percent compliance rate with environmental laws was recorded compared to the previous year”, he added.
The Commissioner revealed that the State government is committing huge resources on environmental protection against all forms of degradation, especially, the fight against climate change and its attendant effects on human health and the ecosystem.
He warned Lagosians that LASEPA has been empowered more than before, the agency is now on high alert for violations and will intensify efforts on enforcement to ensure total compliance with the State’s 2017 environmental laws to safeguard the environment against further degradation because of its consequences on human health, the ecosystem and also to achieve a vision for a sustainable environment.
He explained that various enforcement operations carried out by his Ministry and its agencies across the State were in the interest of the public.
Wahab noted that the State government would not fold its alms while allowing selfish few to continue undermining its reform efforts in preserving the environment for a better living and sustainable growth.
The Commissioner charged various agencies on environmental sustainability and empowered them to prosecute individuals or organizations that may be caught degrading the environment in any form.
