The Lagos State House of Assembly has asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to enforce relevant environmental laws to curb the rampant theft of manhole cover in the state.
The lawmakers made this resolution after debating the motion titled ‘Call on the State Government to curb the activities of Scavengers and manhole theft in Lagos,’ moved by Hon. Gbolahon Yishawu on Illegal waste sourcing.
Yishawu in his motion, said illegal waste sourcing by scavengers had caused damage to the environment, saying stealing manhole covers had increased rapidly in the state.
Stating the benefit of manholes on the Lagos roads, Yishawu explained that the scavengers had destroyed a lot of state infrastructures and made the government spend more on their replacement.
The lawmaker added that the state government needs to act fast to prevent more damage to state infrastructures through the activities of the scavengers.
He urged the state government to enforce all relevant environmental laws, stating that there were adequate laws to curtail illegal acts.
The lawmaker called on the information ministry and relevant agencies to educate and enlighten Lagosians on waste sourcing and sorting for recycling.
He also called on the state government to replace the various stolen manhole covers to avoid fatal accidents in accidents.
Yishawu asked the state to stop the illegal sourcing of scrap materials, adding that the state should come up with whistle-blowing strategies and also work with the Community Development Association (CDAs) to ensure that the scavengers could not operate at the grassroots. He also called for the prosecution of any scavenger found stealing the manholes.
In his contributions, Hon. Desmond Elliot commended Yishawu for the motion, adding that manhole covers in Surulere have all been stolen by scavengers.
He called on the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAMWA) to register scavengers, waste-sourcing operators and scrap dealers before they could operate in the State, adding that all illegal waste-sourcing operators should be stopped in Lagos being a smart city-state.
Corroborating Yishawu, Hon. Kehinde Joseph, said: “We have all necessary laws in ensuring that stealing of manhole cover does not occur in the state. The laws should be enforced effectively to curb the menace.”
Hon. Bonu Solomon stated that destitution should be addressed, adding that the destitute turn out to become scavengers in the future.
Bonu called for the removal of the destitute from the streets of Lagos to prevent an increase in scavengers to curtail the continuous stealing of manholes in the state. “We should activate the law. Any destitute is a potential scavenger in the future.”
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Moshood Aro called for the involvement of the community in the fight against the stealing of manholes in the state. he added that community members should always alert security agencies when they see scavengers stealing the manholes.
Also, Hon. Steven Ogundipe canvassed the need to light up the street of Lagos so that the scavengers would be seen in the ark when perpetuating the crime. He called on the relevant agencies to collaborate in curbing the crime.
Ogundipe said that road designs by the Ministry of Works should include CCTV so that cameras would monitor the activities of the scavengers.
The Speaker of the House, Mojisola Meranda, called on Lagosians to act in the role of whistleblowers, adding that the state government cannot handle it alone. She called on the state government to sensitise Lagosians to the negative effects of the activities of the scavengers.
Meranda urged the state government to educate Lagosians on the difference between sourcing used products for recycling and stealing state infrastructures.
