Mixed feelings trail Lagos monthly sanitation as refuse piles up

Some residents of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Saturday expressed frustration over months of uncollected refuse, saying the situation has diminished the impact of the state’s monthly environmental sanitation.

The residents, who spoke during the June sanitation, gave differing views on the initiative, with some questioning its effectiveness and others insisting that keeping their surroundings clean remains a shared responsibility.

The Lagos State Government reintroduced the monthly sanitation exercise on April 25, 2026.

The exercise held every last Saturday of the month restricts movement between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. to encourage residents to clean their surroundings.

However, heaps of refuse were seen littering parts of Alimosho and adjoining communities, with many residents attributing the situation to the prolonged non-collection of waste by Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators.

A resident of the Alaguntan area, Yewande Dada, said residents had continued to participate in the exercise, but their efforts were being undermined by the failure to evacuate waste.

Dada said: “I don’t know why we should continue with monthly sanitation when no one comes to pick up the refuse.

“For about three months, our waste has remained uncollected even though we pay our waste management bills regularly.

“After clearing the drains and gathering the refuse, scavengers and rainfall scatter everything back into the gutters.

“Without prompt evacuation of waste, the exercise will continue to lose its purpose.”

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Another resident, Daniel Olarenwaju, said overflowing refuse had become a daily reality, leaving many residents unable to enjoy the front of their homes because of the offensive odour.

He said a PSP truck recently visited his street but could evacuate refuse from only three houses because it had already reached capacity.

“The government needs to act quickly before we are overwhelmed by this refuse,” the resident added.

However, another resident, Ehi Osasuyi, said residents should not abandon the sanitation exercise because of the waste collection challenges.

According to him, maintaining a clean environment is a personal responsibility that helps prevent disease.

Osasuyi stated: “I watched the Commissioner for Environment reaffirm the government’s commitment to resolving the waste collection problem.

“I believe efforts are being made, but residents must also play their part if we want to protect our families from sickness.

“We are not defending the government; we are simply doing our best to keep our environment clean.”