In a bid to enhance environmental compliance in Lagos, the State Government has vowed to crack down on environmental infractions and pledged a zero-tolerance approach to the same across the State.
Major Olatunbosun Olaniyi Cole (Rtd), the new Corps Marshal of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), made this assertion during a press conference held on Monday at LAGESC Command Headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi.
He emphasised the significance of environmental cleanliness for a healthy and prosperous Lagos, in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda.
“The Agency, under the new management led by the Corps Marshal and Deputy Corps Marshals, has successfully carried out enforcement operations and conducted clean-up exercises on all pedestrian bridges, while also apprehending miscreants who converted pedestrian bridges into areas of nuisance for unsuspecting pedestrians”, Cole said.
He further disclosed that 56 individuals who misused pedestrian bridges received jail sentences ranging from three to five months, while 46 other offenders were sentenced to community service for violations such as street trading and hawking
Cole further addressed concerns regarding unauthorised fee collection allegedly associated with LAGESC, citing an incident in Ketu where an individual falsely represented the agency.
On the issue of KAI officials collecting bribe, the Corps Marshal said, “In some cases, you will find out that it is not even KAI that is collecting the bribe or money, as was the case in Ketu; we recently apprehended a woman collecting money on behalf of LAGESC at Ketu. I will investigate the matter of people collecting bribes and remain adamant that once an individual crosses the line, they should face the full wrath of the law”.
Emphasising the agency’s commitment to upholding integrity and ensuring accountability, he urged Lagosians to prioritise environmental hygiene, highlighting the detrimental effects of unregulated trading activities on public spaces.
