Lagos State Government led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, beats other nominees to win the NatureNews Public Sector’s Environmental Sustainability Award.
The number one Environmental Newspaper in Africa noted that Lagos State Government was honoured with this prestigious award in recognition of the government’s activities in protecting the environment through a sustainable policy and glaring initiatives and programmes embarked upon towards keeping Lagos environment clean and safe.
Some of the recognised initiatives embarked on to tackle effects of climate change and make Lagos environment sustainable under the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu are but not limited to yearly tree planting and expansion of woodland to tackle effects of climate change and beautify Lagos.
Other pragmatic steps taken by the state government to ensure environmental sustainability in a rapidly urbanising situation include de-silting blocked drainage and maintenance of urban storm water channels across the mega city.
Admittedly, the city of Lagos usually experienced flash flood during rainy season on yearly basis but the government did not relent on its efforts de- silting blocked drainage prior to commencement of rain while the State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) gives effective response to maintenance of over 7,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily in Lagos by about 30 million residents.
That aside, checks conducted by NatureNews on Lagos State Government activities to ensure a sustainable environment in the mega city revealed that the state encourage recycling of solid waste as well as the recent feat on halting production, distribution, sale and usage of Styrofoam based products across the state.
Across states in Nigeria and countries in the West Africa sub-region, Lagos stand out as the only entity that set up different Taskforce Squads for the enforcement of the State Environmental Laws. Popular ones among numerous Lagos Taskforce is the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), the Anti-Open Defecation Taskforce, the Taskforce on Environmental and Related Offence among others.
In recognition of the State Government relentless commitment to net-zero carbon emission target and making Lagos liveable in spite of influx of immigrants to the city on daily basis, NatureNews honoured the Government with its environmental sustainability (Public Sector) for its 2023 HEAD Award.
