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The Lagos State Government has announced that its long-suspended monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume on April 25, marking a significant step toward cleaner streets and improved urban hygiene.
The announcement was made by Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, following a symbolic street-cleaning activity involving Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, celebrating the programme’s return.
The city-wide exercise had been halted in November 2016 after a Court of Appeal ruling stated that restricting residents’ movement during the sanitation period violated citizens’ rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement. Nearly nine years later, the government is reinstating the initiative with adjustments to timing and enforcement.
Previously, the sanitation exercise took place on the last Saturday of every month from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The new schedule reduces the window slightly, now running from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on the last Saturday of each month.
During this time, residents are expected to clean their immediate surroundings, clear drainage channels near their homes, and dispose of waste responsibly, reinforcing the exercise as a civic duty. “During this period, residents are enjoined to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in their frontages, and dispose of waste properly as a civic responsibility,” Wahab said.
The Commissioner emphasized that the exercise is a collective responsibility critical for a cleaner, healthier, and flood-resilient Lagos. “This exercise is a collective responsibility and a vital part of our commitment to a cleaner, healthier and flood-resilient Lagos. It will be backed with the full enforcement weight of the Lagos State Government,” he added.
Wahab described the reinstatement as an “audacious step,” explaining that the decision came after over a year of extensive consultations and deliberations with stakeholders, community leaders, and environmental experts to ensure smooth implementation.
Officials noted that the revived programme aims not only at improving sanitation but also at fostering a culture of civic responsibility among Lagos residents, encouraging everyone to take ownership of their immediate environments.
With the return of the monthly sanitation exercise, the state hopes to curb waste accumulation, reduce flooding risks, and enhance overall urban health and safety, aligning with broader environmental sustainability goals.
The Lagos State Government is expected to complement the exercise with awareness campaigns and community engagement initiatives to ensure maximum participation and adherence to the programme.
Residents are advised to take note of the rescheduled timing and prepare their surroundings accordingly, contributing actively to the effort to maintain a clean and orderly city.
By reinstating the exercise after nearly a decade, Lagos demonstrates its renewed commitment to environmental management and sustainable urban living, while balancing residents’ rights with public health and safety priorities.
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