Varied adherence marks the revival of regular cleanup efforts in Lagos

Mixed reactions emerged as the monthly environmental sanitation exercise resumed in Lagos State on Saturday, with many residents adhering to movement restrictions while few participated in cleanup activities.

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The Lagos State Government had reinstated the exercise, set for the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.

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Commercial activities were largely suspended across parts of the state as residents observed the restriction order, with shops and businesses remaining closed in compliance with government directives.

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However, active participation in sanitation efforts remained low in several communities, with correspondents observing that many residents stayed indoors throughout the exercise.

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In Iyana-Ipaja and Alaguntan/Alimosho areas, some residents cleaned their surroundings, while others stayed indoors, and a few food vendors operated within the Iyana-Ipaja market and nearby motor parks.

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At several parks in Iyana-Ipaja, commuters waited patiently to continue their journeys, while some had already boarded buses ahead of the reopening of roads, and the usually busy Lagos-Abeokuta Motorway at Iyana-Ipaja appeared unusually quiet.

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Some youths took advantage of the reduced traffic to play football on the road, while most residents remained indoors, with only a handful observed clearing gutters and cleaning their immediate surroundings.

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Officials of the BRT monitoring and enforcement team were deployed to ensure compliance and maintain order, as residents largely complied with the restriction order.

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Mr Biodun Oni, an Iyana-Ipaja resident, described environmental sanitation as beneficial, noting that regular cleanup exercises would reduce waste buildup and blocked drainage systems, and help prevent flooding and curb diseases such as cholera and malaria.

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According to Mr Oni, the exercises also create a sense of shared responsibility among residents, especially when communities actively participate rather than comply out of obligation.

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The exercise, though successful in enforcing restricted movement, underscored the need for stronger public participation to achieve lasting environmental impact, with many residents failing to actively participate in cleanup activities.

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A resident of Apatira Street in Alaguntan/Alimosho, known as Mama Apa, said residents should embrace the exercise as a civic duty and comply with the government's directives.

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She noted that she had called out the male tenants in her compound to clear gutters and weed the surroundings, but many residents in the area refused to come out and participate.

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Mr Oriafo Edo described the sanitation exercise as a positive initiative but said residents would need time to adapt, as many people saw it as compulsory and only a few residents came out to participate.

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He believed that the government should focus more on gradual sensitisation rather than immediate sanctions, to encourage residents to participate in the exercise.

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A resident who requested anonymity said she was unaware of the exercise until she encountered warnings while heading out, and decided to return home after noticing the absence of commercial motorcycles.

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She noted that the government needs to intensify awareness campaigns on this monthly exercise, to inform residents and encourage participation.

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Mr John Adeola said environmental cleanliness should be a personal responsibility rather than one driven solely by regulation, and that he cleans his environment regularly without needing a government directive.

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He believed that the government should intensify sensitisation to encourage voluntary compliance, as many people stayed indoors because they feared sanctions rather than participating in cleanup activities.

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In the Agodo/Egbe area of Alimosho, rainfall between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. further reduced participation, as no residents were seen engaging in cleanup activities, and only skeletal commercial motorcycle operations were observed.

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In Ikotun, buses still picked passengers heading to Oshodi and Cele Express, while some youths and adults were also seen loitering in parts of the area, despite the restriction order.