Lagos transport unions stops commercial vehicles from moving during monthly sanitation exercise

Lagos State Transport Union Leaders have announced that no commercial vehicle will load at the various parks and garages between the hours of 6.30 am and 8.30 am on the last Saturday of every month.

Transporters noted in a statement signed by Kunle Adeshina, director of public affairs, on Wednesday, while pledging their commitment and support for the reintroduced environmental sanitation exercise.

The Lagos state government, through Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner for the environment and water resources, recently announced that the state will commence monthly sanitation exercises starting on the 25th of April, between the hours of 6:30 and 8:30 am, amounting to a total of two hours per month.

Wahab said the reintroduction of the sanitation exercise is to bring back the culture of regular cleaning of surroundings, drainages in front of tenements.

Read also:Mixed reactions greet monthly sanitation reintroduction in Lagos

The state government also noted that the newly reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation will entrench a culture of cleanliness among the residents of Lagos State.

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), represented by Usman Teslim, state secretary,  gave a total commitment to the success of the exercise, noting that all transporters within the union will ensure that the sanitation hour is devoted to cleaning their homes and surroundings before resuming commercial activities.

He added that NURTW will also form task forces within its various units to enforce the decision, which is for the betterment of all residents.

He also explained that part of the laws guiding the operation of NURTW states that in any state or local government where it operates, the union is expected to support the policy pronouncements of the government of the day.

Also echoing the resolve, Shamsudeen Ajala, state chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), represented by Kaojue Abolaji, deputy state secretary, said RTEAN will reach out to all its affiliate unions and branches to ensure that on every last Saturday of the month, all their vehicles will only get on to the road to pick passengers after the 8.30 am.

Speaking earlier on why the strategic meeting has become imperative, Wahab reiterated that the present administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu is at the forefront of the quest to achieve a cleaner, flood-free, and sustainable environment, hence the need for stakeholder collaboration.

Wahab said a large number of the population in Lagos rely on public transportation (road and Water) to move from one point to the other, stressing that the informal sector carries over 70 percent of operators, hence the need to seek their buy-in.

“If we all are in agreement with the government that we want the state to be cleaner and we want this initiative to be successful, then we must all cooperate to ensure its success,” he said.

Read also: Lagos bets on councils to drive monthly sanitation, unveils reward for top-performers

Wahab mentioned that the sanitation initiative had already been in place every Thursday between the hours of 7 am and 10 am in markets across Lagos, where traders participate in cleaning their markets, adding that this should be replicated in our homes.

He charged the leadership of the Unions to communicate their resolution to their counterparts in neighboring states to cultivate their compliance and cooperation towards the exercise.

Wahab enjoined stakeholders in the transport sector to ensure that they educate commuters in their parks about the dangers of improper waste disposal in open spaces, on the roads, medians, drainages, and canals, amongst others.

Also speaking, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Lagos state commissioner for transportation, sought the support of the transport operators in the informal sector, saying that the formal sector operators should ensure the success of the monthly sanitation exercise by participating.

He urged the chairmen and members of the Transport Unions to collaborate with the state government, take the initiative, and ensure adherence to cleanliness and good sanitation practices.