No fewer than 30 people discovered to have contravened the law set by the government to maintain cleanliness are often arraigned weekly before the state’s court, according to the Corp Marshal, Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), Mrs Gbemisola Akinpelu.
This, according to the LAGESC boss, had been the record of the agency’s enforcement operation within the last 12 months across the state, to maintain a clean environment.
Akinpelu disclosed that the offenders were apprehended weekly by LAGESC enforcement team and were often arraigned before the court to determine their punishments in accordance with the law.
The 30 persons arraigned weekly include street traders as well as hawkers, residents defecating in open spaces, and others who have contravened the sanitation law across the state every week.
The LAGESC boss disclosed this ahead of the senatorial stakeholders meeting expected to serve as an avenue to discuss compliance with the sanitation law in the state.
Akinpelu explained that the bulk of the sanitation laws were traders that have not yielded to advocacy and enforcement strategies introduced by the agency to protect them from being crushed by vehicles as well as maintain a healthy environment in the state.
He lamented that rather than Lagosians especially street traders to stop contravening the law after their arraignment before the mobile court, they often return to the roadside and continue their trade.
“It is even worrisome that traders after their goods have been impounded to discourage trading by the roadside, return to the same spot displaying new wares a few days after,” she said.
She said the engagements with residents on the sanitation laws would start with the Lagos West District on Tuesday, November 28th, 2023.
According to her, the state government through the agency has decided to embark on the stakeholders meeting due to the premium placed on maintaining environmental sanity within the communities.
Through the meeting, she explained that the state government will be seeking the buy-in and cooperation of everyone in the state on sanitation in Lagos.
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