Apapa Clean-up: LASG, NUPENG, NPA Vow To Sustain Effort

Apapa Clean-up: LASG, NUPENG, NPA Vow To Sustain Effort

In furtherance to the ongoing effort to sanitise the Apapa area of the state, the Lagos State Government, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Nigeria Ports Authority and other stakeholders have vowed to work together to sustain a clean environment in the area.

This synergy was achieved during a meeting in Apapa on Wednesday by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Port Authorities, NUPENG, Tank Farm Owners, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Apapa Local Government.

The Meeting, chaired by the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe, was held to foster ownership of the sanitation initiatives in the area.

Following the pervasive disorder and attendant environmental infractions in the Apapa area of the State, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of the Environment, had intervened to restore sanity in the environment.

The Special Adviser said that the cooperation of all stakeholders was necessary to achieve a clean environment and restore the beauty of the area.

 Hunpe said that the concerned associations within the port authority should come together to form a strong team that would own and sustain the ongoing efforts of the government.

 To address indiscriminate dumping of waste along the road, he stated that government had decided to add two additional Waste Collection Operators to mop up waste from the road, in addition to the placement of refuse bins at strategic locations.

He noted that several environmental infractions such as littering and open defecation were outcomes of the undue presence of trailers on the road.

His words: “Under normal circumstances, the expressway ought to be free but because of the anomalies in this area which keeps trailers perpetually on the road, drivers, together with hawkers who have taken advantage of the situation, have contributed largely to the abuse of the environment”.

He implored all stakeholders to cooperate with Commercial Waste Operators and ensure the provision of mobile toilets while urging NUPENG to enlighten tanker drivers on the values of clean environment.

Hunpe said the Ministry of the Environment would also prevail on the Public Works Corporation to assist in clearing the drainage.

Earlier, the Port Manager, Tin Can Island, Engr. Emmanuel Akparere had thanked the Lagos State Government for its efforts and promised to rally all stakeholders to ensure a cleaner Apapa, stressing that the State Government had done well for demonstrating concern for the wellbeing of Lagosians.

He noted that the Port Authority had identified the root cause of the degeneration of the environment to be non-provision of holding bays by the shipping companies and had commenced strategies to ensure the provision of this important facility, adding that the end of such situation in which trailer overtook the road was in sight.