The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has appealed to residents in the state to maintain cleaner and livable environment, as the state government puts measures in place to curtail environmental degradation and the spread of the corona virus pandemic.
The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made this appeal on Wednesday, in a statement commemorating this year’s World Earth Day in Lagos, a day set aside to show support for environmental protection.
“Today is indeed a special day as we celebrate this year’s World Earth Day and create awareness on the need for cleanliness, environmental sustainability and protection, in the face of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic”, he said.
Dr. Gbadegesin pointed out the need for attitudinal change among residents as it relates to the environment, adding that negative environmental practices like waste burning and indiscriminate refuse disposal pose serious hazard, not just to the environment, but also people that live in it.
“There is no gainsaying that human activities have had dire consequences on the environment. Burning of fossil fuel, deforestation and illegal dumping of waste are major contributors of methane gas, a greenhouse gas twenty times more potent than Carbon-dioxide, which has the cumulative effect of triggering global warming”, he revealed.
The LAWMA boss further appealed to residents to support efforts of the Authority in ensuring that every part of the metropolis was kept clean during and after the lockdown period, adding that PSP operators had been mandated to provide effective services to all tenements in the state.
“We won’t rest on our oars until every part of Lagos is properly sanitized. We have provided our operational team with personal protection equipment (PPE), to boost efforts to rid the state of black spots. So I appeal to residents to bag their wastes for subsequent evacuation by their assigned PSP operators”, he stated.
He urged the populace to call LAWMA toll-free line 07080601020, for inquiries and PSP related issues.
Hakeem Akinleye
Assistant Director, Public Affairs
22/04/2020