In comemorating the world environmental day, the executive chairman of Oshodi-Isolo local government, Otunba Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede, has called on residents of the council to desist from dumping refuse into the drainage within the council.
The council boss spoke through his media office on the background of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) prediction above normal rainfall in Lagos state and 19 others as a result of climate change.
The NiMET said Oshodi-Isolo local government is one of the local governments that might be affected by the continuous rainfall.
The council boss, therefore, urged the residents to take precautions and desist totally from indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
Oloyede urged residents that are of the habit of throwing wastes into the gutter to stop forthwith because their actions are capable of causing flood. He also urges every household to clear the drainages in front of their houses for free flow of water, while stressing that anyone caught throwing wastes in the drainage or canals will be handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
He said; “our people would have noticed that there has been persistent rainfall of late. This had already been predicted by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) when they said Lagos and 19 other states will experience heavy rainfall due to the climatic change. We want to sound a strong note of warning to the people that are found of throwing waste into the gutters and canals to stop because their actions are capable of causing flood. They will be prosecuted if caught.”
Speaking at a world environmental health day programme organised by the council on Monday, the Secretary to the local government, Smart Akinleye who represented the council chairman said the council will continue to maintain a healthy environment through drainage cleanings and waste controls.
Akinleye said the world environmental day is celebrated to sustain the green environment campaigns and zero emission that is being propagated.
The cause of the negative impacts on the environment is incessant blocking of drainage, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, littering, open defecation, discharging of faecal matter and other poor sanitation practices.
The result of this, he said is “there is undoubtedly a strong correlation between sanitation and health problems such as malaria, diarrhoea, cholera, high infant and maternal mortality.”
The council Secretary, therefore, called for a conscientious effort to tackle environmental degradation.
He said; “no doubt, the environment needs people and the people need the environment. This, therefore, involve all of us individually and collectively to contribute our quota in the achievement of sustainable development in our communities, markets, homes and offices.”
Akinleye called on the youths to come all out to be agents of environmental protection and be good ambassadors of their various communities.
He said; “I called on the youth to play a leadership role by promoting environmental ethics, reducing resource use, reusing and recycling the available resources to minimize waste generation.”
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