Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to enforce all relevant environmental laws to curb the rampant theft of manhole cover in the State.
The lawmakers made this resolution after debating the motion titled ” Call on the State Government to Curb the Activities of Scavengers and Manhole Theft in Lagos”, moved by Gbolahon Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) on Illegal waste sourcing.
Yishawu, in his motion, said that illegal waste sourcing by scavengers has damaged the environment, and the theft of manhole covers has increased rapidly in the State.
Stating the benefit of manholes on the Lagos roads, Yishawu explained that the scavengers had destroyed a lot of state infrastructures and made the government spend more on their replacement.
Yishawu added that the state government needs to act fast to prevent more damage to state infrastructures through the activities of the scavengers.
He urged the state government to enforce all relevant environmental laws, stating that there were enough and adequate laws to curtail illegal acts.
The lawmaker called on the information ministry and relevant agencies to educate and enlighten Lagosians on waste sourcing and sorting for recycling.
He also called on the state government to replace the various stolen manhole covers to avoid fatal accidents in the accidents.
Yishawu asked the State to stop the illegal sourcing of scrap materials, adding that the State should come up with whistle-blowing strategies and work with the Community Development Association (CDAs) to ensure that the scanvengers could not operate at the grassroots.
He also called for prosecuting any scanvenger found stealing the maintenance holes.
In his contributions, Desmond Elliot (Surulere 1) commended Yishawu for the motion, adding that manhole covers in Surulere have all been stolen by scanvengers.
He called on the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAMWA) to register scanvengers, waste-sourcing operators, and scrap dealers before they could operate in the State, adding that all illegal waste-sourcing operators should be stopped in Lagos being an innovative city state.
Corroborating Yishawu, Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 1) said, “We have all necessary laws in ensuring that stealing of maintenance holes cover does not occur in the State.
” The laws should be enforced effectively to curb the menace.”
Also, Bonu Solomon (Badagry 1) stated that destitution should be addressed, adding that the destitute will become scavengers in the future.
Bonu called for the removal of destitutes from the streets of Lagos to prevent an increase in scanvengers so as to curtail the continuous stealing of manholes in the State.
“We should activate the law. Any destitute is a potential scavenger in the future”, said Bonus.
Contributing to the debate, Moshood Aro (Ikorodu 1) called for community involvementommunity in the fight nst the sling of manholes in the State.
Aro added that community members should always alert security agencies when scavengers steal the maintenance holes.
Also, Steven Ogundipe (Oshodi/Isolo 1) canvassed the need to light up the street of Lagos so that the scanvengers would be seen in the dark when perpetuating the crime.
He called on the relevant agencies to collaborate to curb the crime.
Ogundipe said that road designs by the Ministry of Works should include CCTV so that cameras would monitor the activities of the scanvegers.
However, the Speaker of the House, Rt (Hon) Mojisola Meranda, called on Lagosians to act on the role of whistleblowers, adding that the state government cannot handle it alone.
Meranda called on the state government to sensitize Lagosians to the adverse effects of the activities of the scavengers.
She urged the state government to educate Lagosians on the difference between sourcing used products for recycling and stealing state infrastructures.
