By Esther Nwabueze, Mariam Hassan and Uchechi Afonne

Residents in parts of Lagos have called for stricter enforcement of sanitation regulations and improved waste management to address indiscriminate dumping, blocked drains and inadequate disposal facilities.

They made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday during the October environmental sanitation exercise.

The residents identified poor public participation and irregular refuse evacuation as additional challenges undermining environmental cleanliness.

On Apapa Road, residents and traders highlighted rising waste collection costs, poor drainage and inadequate public participation as major sanitation concerns.

Ms Yagazierem Igwe, a resident of Apapa Road, said occupants of her building contributed monthly towards cleaning their surroundings.

She added that traders in a nearby market also funded regular sanitation exercises, which they conducted before commencing business each month.

Igwe, however, expressed concern over rising waste collection charges and delays in refuse evacuation, resulting in waste accumulation and unpleasant odours.

She said she had not seen Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators in her area for more than two years.

Igwe called for the deployment of waste evacuation vehicles during community sanitation exercises to ensure prompt removal of collected refuse.

Another resident of Apapa Road, Mrs Kafayat Adeyemi, said residents participated in monthly sanitation exercises but needed more public waste bins around bus stops.

She said some commuters indiscriminately discarded empty containers and other waste along the roads.

A trader around Apapa Market, Mrs Aramide Adeniyi, said she cleaned her shop surroundings daily and relied on LAWMA PSP operators for refuse collection.

She said the operators visited her area about twice monthly, adding that she sometimes engaged cart pushers when they failed to come.

Adeniyi expressed hope that more residents would participate in environmental sanitation exercises.

Similarly, Mrs Roseline Ogbuagu, a resident of Apapa Road, said occupants of her building organised monthly cleaning exercises and employed a cleaner twice weekly.

Ogbuagu expressed concern over a blocked drainage channel outside her compound, blaming indiscriminate dumping of plastic cups and other refuse.

She said she spent more than two hours clearing the drainage on Saturday, adding that nearby shop operators repeatedly declined invitations to participate.

She also alleged that construction activities had obstructed an earlier drainage passage, worsening the blockage and increasing flooding risks.

Ogbuagu urged authorities to engage shop operators in maintaining drainage channels and support communities in addressing broader sanitation challenges.

Mr Bayo Olowu of Jones Street, Apapa, said monthly sanitation activities held between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on the last Saturday.

Olowu said he encouraged residents to participate, while PSP operators evacuated refuse collected during the exercise.

He said refuse evacuation provided through the local government was free, adding that markets conducted separate sanitation exercises on Thursdays.

Olowu commended the council chairman for providing evacuation vehicles but called for stricter enforcement of sanitation regulations.

He said some residents continued moving around and engaging in other activities during sanitation hours, undermining collective efforts.

NAN observed LAWMA personnel cleaning roads and clearing refuse, although moving vehicles hindered their activities.

On Rasaki and Adeoye streets, Mushin, residents identified irregular waste evacuation, inadequate disposal facilities and poor drainage as major environmental concerns.

Mr Godwin Anyaka, a resident of Adeoye Street, Mushin, said residents participated in weekly sanitation exercises between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

He estimated participation at between 60 and 70 per cent, noting that some residents occasionally failed to participate.

Anyaka identified irregular sewage and refuse disposal as major challenges, saying some households evacuated their waste only once every three months.

He called for government intervention to improve drainage channels and sewage systems, warning that indiscriminate waste disposal could worsen flooding.

Also, Mr Oluchi Ubai, a resident of Rasaki Street, Mushin, said occupants of his compound worked together to maintain cleanliness.

Ubai said they cleaned their surroundings every Saturday, irrespective of government-designated sanitation periods.

Another Rasaki Street resident, Mr Tochukwu Onyiuke, said residents participated in monthly government-directed sanitation exercises.

He added that they also cleaned their surroundings every Thursday and Saturday.

Onyiuke identified inadequate waste disposal facilities as a major challenge, saying designated collection points filled up quickly without regular evacuation.

He said overflowing refuse encouraged indiscriminate dumping, while dirty, waterlogged streets affected businesses and attracted flies and mosquitoes.

Onyiuke urged the government to provide larger waste containers at commercial junctions and ensure regular refuse disposal.

He also called for the reconstruction and widening of major drainage channels to improve water flow and reduce flooding.

Meanwhile, on College Road, Ogba, NAN observed limited outdoor activities during the exercise, with few vehicles passing along the relatively quiet road.

Mr Akala Anaba, who was taking a walk around Estate Bus Stop, attributed residents’ apparent reluctance to participate in manual sanitation partly to the heat.

He said the weather made outdoor cleaning uncomfortable, particularly in the absence of electricity to power fans.

“I cannot imagine myself cleaning gutters and the surroundings while sweating, only to return home and continue suffering from the heat.

“There is no electricity to power a fan and provide some relief. The weather is just not favourable for this exercise,” he said.

Anaba expressed hope that improved weather conditions would encourage greater participation in sanitation activities.

Across the locations, NAN observed varying levels of participation, with sanitation officers monitoring compliance and encouraging residents and traders to participate.

The observations highlighted persistent challenges in public participation, refuse evacuation and drainage maintenance, in spite of ongoing community sanitation efforts. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma