The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, has commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for its continued support in promoting environmental sustainability, while calling on residents to take greater responsibility by patronizing the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and other accredited PSP operators.

Wahab said this while speaking with the newsmen after an oversight session with the House of Assembly, where he presented an update on the Ministry’s 2025 budget performance and ongoing interventions in environmental sanitation, waste management, drainage, and climate adaptation across the state.

He commended the Assembly for approving key budgetary allocations that have enabled the Ministry to implement crucial projects aimed at tackling perennial environmental challenges.

“I want to express my gratitude to the House of Assembly for providing the necessary support by adequately appropriating funds to address some of these long-standing issues,” Wahab stated. “We are actively working on them. Contracts have been awarded, and LAWMA is playing his part in waste management.”

Speaking on the state’s progress, Wahab noted that Lagos is particularly vulnerable to climate-related impacts such as excessive rainfall, rising sea levels, and extreme heat, given its coastal location. He explained that while flash flooding can occur, the effects are often temporary.

“There’s no need to panic within one or two hours, the water typically recedes once tidal levels drop, and normalcy returns,” he said.

Wahab emphasized that citizen behavior plays a key role in the success of environmental initiatives. He identified indiscriminate waste disposal as a leading cause of flooding and stressed the importance of engaging LAWMA and its licensed operators.

“Lagosians must take responsibility by properly disposing of their waste and patronizing LAWMA and PSP operators,” he said. “Dumping refuse into drainage channels or on road medians is a major contributor to flooding, and it must be stopped.”

The Commissioner concluded with a call for civic responsibility, urging residents to maintain proper sanitation practices in line with global standards.

“Let us conduct ourselves properly and responsibly, as is expected in a civilized society. That is what we are appealing to Lagosians to help us achieve,” he said.