The Lagos State Government, through the ministry for Environment and Water Resources on Tuesday, 23 June, 2026 denied claims that it assigned the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW)to take over the duties of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, also known as KAI, or to arrest environmental violators, reports thegazellenews.com.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who made this denial through a statement issued on Tuesday described it as misinformation.
The clarification follows recent reports and social media graphics claiming that the government was empowering NURTW members to act as “waste police” or take over KAI’s role in enforcement.
Wahab, who said the recent engagement between the state government and transport unions in Lagos State is not intended to replace the statutory responsibilities of LAGESC, also explained that LAGESC, in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force, remains the duly empowered environmental enforcement arm of the ministry.
“As we are all aware, several environmental challenges persist within parks, garages, and the public transportation ecosystem, including illegal trading activities and the indiscriminate disposal of refuse on road medians and within transport facilities,” Wahab said.
According to the Commissioner, the government’s engagement with transport unions was aimed at fostering collaboration, promoting shared responsibility, and ensuring improved cleanliness and proper waste management within parks and garages.
“This partnership does not in any way diminish, transfer, or replace the enforcement responsibilities of LAGESC and the Task Force. Rather, it is a complementary initiative designed to strengthen environmental compliance, sanitation standards, and stakeholder participation in maintaining a cleaner environment across the state,” he stated.
Wahab assured residents that environmental cleanliness remains a top priority of the Lagos State Government, adding that the government would continue to engage stakeholders toward building a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos.
“We therefore wish to reassure all Lagosians that environmental cleanliness remains a top priority of the Lagos State Government. We will continue to engage relevant stakeholders and partners in our collective effort to build a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos,” the statement added in the statement.
