THE LMDGP’S ‘KEEP YOUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN’ CAMPAIGN’: GETTING LAGOS SLUMS CLEAN

THE LMDGP’S ‘KEEP YOUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN’ CAMPAIGN’: GETTING LAGOS SLUMS CLEAN

The LMDGP – Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project – is a world bank assisted initiative of the Lagos State government. Recently, the project embarked on a massive communication campaign,with road shows and through mass media,to sensitize Lagosians in general, and its slum area communities in particular, about the urgent need to deviate from behaviors and attitudes hazardous to the numerous facilities already provided  under its ‘slum upgrade’ intervention projects. Now, it is important, that with these new public utility infrastructures in place, the public should take ownership, and maintain these facilities. The slum areas covered in Lagos State include: Agege, OrileAgege, Ajegunle, Amukoko, Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ilaje, Bariga and Ijeshatedo/Itire. The intervention projects include provision and rehabilitation of roads, drainage systems, Primary Health Care Centers, primary and secondary schools, water supply boreholes, market stalls, electricity transformers, etc; that have improved life in many ways for these slum communities. The ‘Keep Your Environment Campaign’ is aimed at changing the behavior of people from passive to active attitude to help maintain the good usage of these facilities. The objectives include:

• Stop blocking drainages and gutters with litter and illegal structures
• Carry out the compulsory state weekly ‘clean up’ exercise
• Stop the destruction of roads with burning tyres, cooking fires, etc.
• Stop disposing of human waste on the streets

This is a very important message for Lagosians at the moment, especially in a world where environmental issues have become a global concern. The ‘Keep Your Environment Clean’ campaign also involved a ‘Cleanest Street Competition’ which was won by Arumoh Street, in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area. The star prize includes a complete street make over, provided by Berger Paints Ltd, the official sponsor of the competition.