The Lagos State Government has announced a sweeping crackdown on illegal waste disposal, warning that anyone caught dumping refuse indiscriminately or littering public spaces will face a fine of ₦250,000 or up to three months imprisonment.
The stern warning was issued on Tuesday by the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, during a media briefing where he promised a no-tolerance approach toward environmental law violations.
“Serial offenders will face even stiffer punishments,” Wahab stated, emphasizing that the government is escalating both enforcement and public sensitisation efforts.
According to a statement by Kunle Adeshina, Director of Public Affairs for the ministry, Wahab reiterated that the long-standing ban on cart pushers remains in place. “They are the ones that dump wastes indiscriminately across the state. Residents should desist from patronising them and always patronise registered PSP,” he warned.
Wahab also expressed frustration over the conduct of some property developers who dump building materials on roads and in drainage channels. “Such sites will be sealed up and the owners prosecuted,” he vowed.
Over 3,000 violators have already been prosecuted, but Wahab insists the state is just getting started. Enforcement agencies including LAWMA and KAI are now operating round the clock to arrest, prosecute, and publicly shame offenders.
The government’s crackdown also targets squatters on pedestrian bridges — a situation Wahab said encourages open defecation and petty crime. “They dissuade pedestrians from using the bridges and in turn endanger lives,” he said.
In a related move to clean up the environment, Lagos is set to enforce its ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam food packs starting July 1. This initiative aligns with the 2024 World Environment Day theme: “Ending Plastic Pollution.”
“There is no going back,” Wahab declared. “After an 18-month moratorium to producers, distributors, and users… the ban will be enforced.”
As Lagosians prepare for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Wahab called on residents to properly manage waste generated during festivities. “All generated wastes should be sorted, bagged, and handed over to the approved PSP operators across all the wards in the state,” he urged.
Wahab concluded with a call for collective responsibility: “The government has done its part. Now residents must do theirs.”