Following worries expressed by some residents of Lagos Island over the increase in the heaps of refuse within their community, youths in the area have moved to salvage the situation.
Towards this end, a social organisation in the community, Igbalani Youth Initiatives, has allayed the fears among residents of a possible cholera outbreak in the area.
Although the group commended efforts by the Lagos State Government’s Visionscape in ridding the communities of waste, it maintained that efforts should be intensified towards making the communities cleaner.
The group also accused the Lagos Island Local Government authority of frustrating efforts by residents to rid the community of wastes.
Speaking to our correspondent, the President of the group, Prince Adewale Ojora, said that through voluntary efforts, some of the residents, especially the youths, had “tried in their own little way” to sanitise the community by getting rid
of refuse.
Ojora also noted that the Lagos Island Local Government Chairman, Mr. Adetoyese Olusi, was not supporting their efforts.
“Our community is very dirty and this has been causing diseases and ilnesses in our area, especially among our children. We have had some cases of sicknesses relating to dirty environment,” he
said.
A community leader, Mrs. Ola Williams, also noted, “Many children have been afflicted with cholera. This has made us to embark on the exercise. We are working to help clean the community. Our environment is always full of dirt and this has been generating diseases for the residents.
“It is not that Visionscape is not effective, but there should be more efforts on our part as a community to support them.
“We saw that the governor has tried a lot and we need to show support. It is a willing work. The environment is not conducive enough. Cleaner Lagos Initiative just came up and we need to help them. People in Lagos Island should make the state clean, they should use waste bin and others. We hired eight trucks to pack the waste.”
Also speaking, a member of the group, Mr. Babatunde Onikoyi, said, “The local government chairman didn’t support the youths. They have shortchanged us. The chairman and his people are using caucus to affect us, because the chairman belongs to another
group.”
A resident of the area, simply identified as Idris, said, “The refuse is too much. The government is doing little or nothing to clear them. But, at least, we are grateful to some members of the community for their efforts to clear some of the wastes. But the government should play its part very well.”
Meanwhile, efforts to contact the local government chairman on the issue was not successful. His phone was not reachable as at the time of filing this report.
