The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has commemorated the Y2021 World Clean-up Day, along with a network of corporate bodies, NGOs and governmental organisations, during which 75,000 plastic bottles, weighing 1,250 kilogrammes, were harvested along a five-kilometre distance of Ilashe/Ibeshe beach in the outskirts of Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, noted that LAWMA was using the opportunity of the World Clean-up Day, to open up the entire Ilashe Island shoreline to proper cleanup, urging residents and beach users to come together and make a difference by leaving an enduring legacy of a people-friendly environment for improved living and economic prosperity.
His words: “The idea of the World Clean-up Day came up in 2018 when nearly two million volunteers across individuals, corporate bodies, NGOs and governmental organisations came together for massive clean-up activities in major cities across the world. We are setting the pace here, in Ilashe Island of Lagos, for our country. So, I enjoin all residents to sustain this effort”.
“LAWMA is not leaving any stone unturned in our determined effort to rid Lagos State of all forms of solid waste. Our Marine Unit is effectively evacuating marine debris around the Lagos waterways and we will continue to increase the scope of our activities”, he added.
Also speaking, the President, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAN), Mr. David Oriyomi, noted that it is important to educate residents of the aquatic environment on the effects of dumping rubbish into the water because fishes feed on this rubbish and we in turn feed on the fishes which are very dangerous to health.
Chairman of Lagos Recyclers’ Association, Dr. Femi Idowu, pointed out that what people see as trash is actually money, suggesting that people should see the economic value in waste materials.
Organisations at the event include Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FIBRA), an umbrella body for about 20 food and beverage manufacturing companies, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Nigerian Ports Authority and Lagos Ferry Service, among others.
The programme was also attended by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Mr. Solomon Bonu; management and staff of LAWMA and General Manager LASWA, Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, among others.
