Re-introduction of Environmental Sanitation: A timely move to rescue Lagos

The decision by the Lagos State Government to reintroduce the monthly environmental sanitation exercise deserves commendation, not cynicism. In a city battling rapid urbanisation, indiscriminate waste disposal, blocked drainage channels, flooding, and mounting public health concerns, the restoration of a structured sanitation culture is not only timely but necessary.

For many older Lagos residents, monthly sanitation was once more than a government policy; it was a civic tradition. Every last Saturday of the month, residents cleaned their homes, streets, drains, and neighbourhoods as part of a collective responsibility to maintain public hygiene. That culture gradually disappeared after a court ruling in 2016 outlawed restrictions on movement during sanitation hours.

Nearly a decade later, Lagos has expanded significantly in population, commercial activities, and environmental pressure. Drainage channels are routinely clogged with refuse. Flooding has become recurrent during the rainy season. Illegal dumping of waste persists across many communities despite government interventions. It is, therefore, unsurprising that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration has decided to revive the sanitation exercise as part of a broader environmental sustainability strategy.

The reintroduced exercise, scheduled for the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., is aimed at promoting environmental consciousness and encouraging residents to take ownership of their surroundings. The government has repeatedly stressed that environmental cleanliness cannot be achieved by government agencies alone. Residents must become active participants in keeping Lagos clean.

Critics have questioned whether monthly sanitation can truly solve Lagos’ environmental problems. Some argue that the policy appears old-fashioned and symbolic. Others fear a return to the era of excessive enforcement and abuse by environmental task forces. These concerns are understandable, especially considering the unpleasant experiences associated with past sanitation exercises.

However, dismissing the initiative entirely would be shortsighted.

Environmental sanitation is not merely about restricting movement for two hours. It is about rebuilding a culture of environmental responsibility that has weakened over time. One of the greatest problems confronting Lagos today is not simply inadequate infrastructure but poor public attitude towards waste management. Across many neighbourhoods, refuse is dumped into drainage channels, road medians, canals, and vacant plots despite repeated warnings and the presence of waste collection operators.

Government cannot successfully fight environmental degradation without citizens changing their habits.

What the reintroduced sanitation exercise seeks to achieve is behavioural reorientation. It is intended to remind residents that environmental cleanliness begins at the household and community level. When drains around homes are routinely cleaned and refuse properly disposed of, the burden on public infrastructure reduces significantly.

Nonetheless, the government must also recognise that sanitation exercises alone cannot solve systemic waste management challenges. The policy must be supported with efficient refuse evacuation, stronger drainage maintenance, improved recycling systems, and consistent public enlightenment campaigns. Residents cannot be expected to clean their surroundings only for waste to remain uncollected for days.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority and Private Sector Participation operators must therefore improve operational efficiency and ensure timely collection of refuse generated during the exercises.

Equally important is the need for enforcement agencies to operate professionally and lawfully. The memories of harassment and arbitrary arrests during previous sanitation regimes remain fresh in the minds of many Lagosians. The state government must avoid turning a civic exercise into another avenue for intimidation or extortion. Public cooperation can only be sustained where enforcement is fair, civil, and transparent.

The state also deserves praise for adopting a more flexible approach compared to the past. Reports indicate that while monitoring and compliance measures will be enforced, the government is mindful of constitutional concerns surrounding total restriction of movement. That balance between civic responsibility and citizens’ rights is important.

Beyond government policies, residents themselves must realise that environmental neglect carries enormous consequences. Flood disasters, disease outbreaks, polluted waterways, and blocked roads ultimately affect everyone, regardless of social status. A cleaner Lagos cannot be achieved through government pronouncements alone; it requires daily commitment from millions of residents.

The return of monthly environmental sanitation should therefore not be viewed as a punishment but as a collective rescue mission for Africa’s most populous city.

If properly implemented, sustained without political theatrics, and backed by efficient waste management systems, the initiative could gradually restore the environmental discipline Lagos desperately needs.