Groups Mobilise Volunteers To Clean Up Lagos

A global civic organisation, Let’s Do It World (LDIW), in collaboration with Green Janitors, on Saturday mobilised community volunteers to Clean-up Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise is in commemoration of the World Clean-up Day.
World Clean-up Day is celebrated on September 17 annually.
It is the outcome of a massive volunteer initiative, pioneered in Estonia in 2008, when 50,000 volunteers cleaned up their homes in five hours.
LDIW coordinates and supports the global movement, inspiring and empowering leaders to raise awareness and move countries toward sustainable solutions for the environment.
The LDIW  Coordinator for Africa, Mr Gafar Odubote, said at the event that the clean-up was being carried simultaneously across many countries to create environmental sustainability awareness.
He said that getting residents involved in environmental sanitation would enhance sustainability.
“The World Clean-up Day is uniting millions of volunteers  in 191 countries to clean up their environments; Nigeria is one of these countries,” he said.
The coordinator said that the clean-up was being carried out simultaneously all over the world and across the 36 states of Nigeria.
“In Lagos State, we have close to 30 or 40 clean-up sites. It is also going on at the beachfront, offshore and on the land.
“The importance of the clean-up is to demonstrate that people can come together to create a massive change in our environment through sustainable actions.
“People coming out to show that we can clean up environment is a way to  heighten awareness that the environment is important to us,” Odubote said.
Ms Suliyat Oguns, Team Lead of Green Janitors, urged the volunteers to make environmental sanitation regular to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment.
“Today, we commemorate the International World Clean-up Day, and we are celebrating it as a team under Green Janitors in Bariga.
“We are in partnership with Junior Club International, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Leo’s Club and Sustainable Development Advocates of the University of Lagos.
“Clean-up is not just for Sept. 17. Let us all ensure that after this event, everybody in our environment gets to know that once we clean up, it is going to reflect in our environment.
“The thing we are actually fighting for is a world without wastes, that is our final goal,” she said.
She said that the group desired that  Nigerians should know the essence of maintaining a clean environment.
“Reuse, reduce and recycle.  We do not have to waste materials that can be converted to other uses.
“The host community for today’s clean-up is Akoka Community, people  have come massively to volunteer in the exercise,” Oguns said.
Commending the efforts of the groups, Mr Adegboyega Adefuwa , Environment Supervisor, Bariga Local Government, called on the community members to take clean-up as a personal responsibility.
“The exercise is a laudable programme being supported by the executive Chairman of the Bariga LGA, Mr Kolade Alabi, for the well-being of our environment.