Mixed reactions greeted the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Lagos State on Saturday, as many residents complied with movement restrictions but recorded limited participation in cleanup activities.
The Lagos State Government recently reinstated the exercise, scheduled for the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., as part of efforts to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.
Commercial activities were largely suspended across parts of the state as residents observed the restriction order. However, active participation in sanitation efforts remained low in several communities.
In Iyana-Ipaja and Alaguntan/Alimosho areas, shops and businesses remained closed in compliance with government directives.
While some residents cleaned their surroundings, many stayed indoors throughout the period.
In spite of the restriction, a few food vendors operated within the Iyana-Ipaja market and nearby motor parks, selling to travellers and passengers waiting for movement restrictions to be lifted.
At several parks in Iyana-Ipaja, commuters were seen waiting patiently to continue their journeys, while some had already boarded buses ahead of the reopening of roads.
The usually busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway at Iyana-Ipaja appeared unusually quiet, with only minimal activity recorded. Some youths, however, took advantage of the reduced traffic to play football on the road.
Most residents remained indoors, with only a handful observed clearing gutters and cleaning their immediate surroundings.
Officials of the BRT monitoring and enforcement team were deployed to ensure compliance and maintain order.
An Iyana-Ipaja resident, Mr Biodun Oni, described environmental sanitation as beneficial, noting that regular cleanup exercises would reduce waste buildup and blocked drainage systems.
According to him, this would help prevent flooding and curb diseases such as cholera and malaria.
“They also create a sense of shared responsibility among residents, especially when communities actively participate rather than comply out of obligation,” he said.
The exercise, though successful in enforcing restricted movement, underscored the need for stronger public participation to achieve lasting environmental impact.
A resident of Apatira Street in Alaguntan/Alimosho, popularly known as Mama Apa, said residents should embrace the exercise as a civic duty.
“The government has directed us to clean our environment, and as law-abiding citizens, we should comply.
“As you can see, I called out the male tenants in my compound to clear gutters and weed the surroundings.”
