Nine persons have been sentenced to imprisonment over illegal waste disposal in Lagos State.

Nine persons have been sentenced to one-week imprisonment over illegal waste disposal in Lagos State.

The Special Offences Court, (Environmental Unit), Ogba ruled that their action was in clear violation of the Environmental Law of Lagos.

The violators were arrested during the enforcement operation by the Lagos State Environment Sanitation Corp (LAGESC) and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in different locations for indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the roads.

Of the nine environmental offenders, six were men and three women, who were arraigned before the Special Offences Court presided over by Chief Magistrate M. A Ojo for dumping refuse illegally in a public place which is contrary to and punishable under the Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017.

When their charge was read, they pleaded guilty to the charges but begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Ojo, however, sentenced them to one-week imprisonment with an option of ₦5,000 fine.

Seven out of the offenders fulfilled their bail conditions while the remaining two were remanded in custody pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions or imprisonment.

Commenting on the incident, the Corps Marshal of the Agency, ex-commissioner of Police, Akinpelu Gbemisola, noted that the present administration was passionate about the safety of lives and cleanliness of the environment, hence, has directed LAGESC to effectively clampdown on all violators of environmental laws in the State.

Comments

LAWMA Warns Property Owners Against Illegal Recycling and Scavenging Activities… vows prosecution of violators

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has issued a stern warning to property owners, agents and private occupiers in the state, to henceforth desist from illegal recycling and scavenging in unlicensed facilities. It also advised them to halt indiscriminate sorting, dumping, storing and trading of recyclable waste in their facilities and in public spaces around them. Commenting on a public notice issued by LAWMA to property owners, agents and private occupiers to that effect, the Managing Director/CEO of the agency, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, noted that such activities not only degraded the city’s aesthetic appeal but also disrupted the rights of property owners, contributing to serious environmental hazards. The final public notice reads: “LAWMA has observed a rising trend of indiscriminate waste sorting, dumping, and trading of recyclables in unauthorized locations. These activities violate the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017 and will not b...

Lagos Government seals Oko Oba Abattoir over unhygienic practices

Lagos State Government on Thursday announced the shutdown of the Oko-Oba abattoir over unsanitary activities, waste mismanagement and unhygienic handling of animal products. This directive was given by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab after an extensive inspection tour with the media to Oko-Oba the Abattoir at Oko-Oba in Agege informing that the Ministry received a petition from the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene as regards various Environmental and health infractions going on at the abattoir. According to him, “What was witnessed at the abattoir today is heart-wrenching; the operators have defied and chosen to take laws into their hands as they slaughter animals and discharge the Waste into public drainage system with impunity and this is totally unacceptable.” Wahab said that upon the visitation to the abattoir, it was observed that the operators discharge all animal wastes into the public drainage channels leading to ...

EID-EL-FITRI: LAWMA CALLS FOR RESPONSIBLE WASTE DISPOSAL … to provide backup services during the festivities

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has called on residents to properly bag and dispose of their waste, through their PSP operators, during and after the Eid-El-Fitri festivities. Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, in a statement, disclosed that the Authority had put adequate measures in place to ensure that the celebration was observed in a dirt-free environment. He said, “As we mark this year’s Eid-El-Fitri, it is important that we do so in an environment-friendly manner. For this reason, we have put adequate measures in place to ensure that cleanliness is maintained across the metropolis during and after this period”. He noted LAWMA’s resolve to tackle all forms of improper waste disposal in the state, which had led to environmental degradation, appealing to residents to patronise only assigned PSP operators and shun garbage cart pushers, whose activities undermine the agency’s efforts. Gbadegesin said that PSPs would be working all through t...

Lagos Waste Reporter

Search This Blog