The Lagos State Government on Tuesday clarified that contrary to the viral misinformation by some bloggers and commentators, the State does not intend and will not swap the statutory responsibilities of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), with any transport union or association.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, revealed this in a statement he issued on Tuesday.
The statement, endorsed by the Director of Public Affairs of the ministry, Adekunle Adeshina, explained that the recent engagement between Officials of the State Government and some transport unions is about how the unions could be more responsive to the state of the environment as it concerns their parks, garages, bus stops, and waste.
Wahab said: “The State Government’s engagement with transport unions is aimed at fostering collaboration, promoting shared responsibility, and ensuring improved cleanliness and proper waste management within their respective parks and garages.”
He stated emphatically that KAI or LAGESC, in collaboration with the Lagos State Special Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, remain the duly empowered environmental enforcement arm of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and will not abdicate the responsibilities.
The Commissioner reiterated that the new partnership does not in any way diminish, transfer, or replace the enforcement responsibilities of LAGESC and the Task Force.
He said: “Rather, it should be seen as a complementary initiative designed to strengthen environmental compliance, sanitation standards, and stakeholder participation in maintaining a cleaner environment across the State.
“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.”
While reassuring Lagosians that environmental cleanliness remains a top priority of the Lagos State Government, Wahab urged them to discountenance the fake and mischievous reports.
He added: “We will continue to engage relevant stakeholders and partners in our collective effort to build a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos.”
