By Peter Dansu In a stern warning delivered on Wednesday, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Layode, issued a two-d...
By Peter Dansu
In a stern warning delivered on Wednesday, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Layode, issued a two-day ultimatum to shop owners and residents along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway to clear indiscriminate refuse or risk demolition of their shops.
Layode, who was visibly angered by the heaps of garbage dumped carelessly along the newly constructed road, stopped his convoy during a routine pass through Badagry to personally address the situation.
“This is completely unacceptable,” he said. “The Federal Government just spent billions to rebuild and beautify this expressway. Dumping refuse on it is not only unhygienic but also shows a lack of appreciation for the effort made to improve infrastructure in this area.”
The commissioner warned that indiscriminate waste disposal could lead to serious environmental hazards such as erosion and flooding, as the refuse clogs drainage channels along the expressway.
He told the shop owners and residents that they have just two days to clean up the area.
“If by the end of this week the waste is still here, I will order the demolition of shops along this expressway,” he declared. “This is an international route, and this level of filth tarnishes the image of our state and our country.”
The residents, caught off guard by the impromptu inspection, pleaded with Layode for more time and requested the provision of a waste disposal truck to enable proper refuse management.
They promised to begin the cleanup immediately and work towards keeping the area clean going forward.
The commissioner’s ultimatum has since sparked a renewed sense of urgency among traders and residents, as many began mobilizing cleanup efforts within hours of his visit.
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