The Lagos State Government has urged residents to stop patronising unregulated cart pushers, warning that indiscriminate disposal of refuse by such operators could worsen flooding and undermine efforts to keep the state clean.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, reiterated the call as the government intensified efforts to improve waste management and promote a cleaner environment across Lagos.
The warning came during the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise, where officials urged residents to take greater responsibility for the proper disposal of household waste.
The Lagos State Government has been encouraging residents to use approved Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operators rather than unregulated waste collectors.
Lagos Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, speaking during the exercise in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin, said residents should patronise PSP operators because the activities of unregulated waste collectors could result in refuse being dumped in canals and other unauthorised locations.
Hamzat also disclosed that the state was strengthening waste evacuation through the provision of an additional 220 trucks to complement the operations of PSP operators across Lagos.
He warned that refuse dumped in canals and other waterways could obstruct drainage channels and contribute to flooding, urging residents to play their part in preventing such practices.
Wahab, who also spoke during the exercise, said the state was transitioning towards a waste management system in which waste could be converted into useful resources as part of its broader environmental sustainability efforts.
The commissioner has previously called on Lagos residents to avoid actions that encourage environmental and social problems in the state, stressing the importance of collective responsibility in maintaining a cleaner and more orderly Lagos.
The government has continued to encourage residents to properly dispose of waste through approved channels and support initiatives aimed at improving sanitation, waste evacuation and environmental management.
Officials said sustained cooperation from residents remained essential to reducing indiscriminate dumping, protecting drainage infrastructure and preventing avoidable flooding across the state.
