Sanwo-Olu Administration Vows to Tackle Flooding, Waste in Iwaya Community

Sanwo-Olu Administration Vows to Tackle Flooding, Waste in Iwaya Community
Wahab inspected ongoing environmental and infrastructure projects on Lagos Island
Wahab acknowledged recent setbacks but assured that the government was taking corrective measures

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to tackling environmental degradation in Iwaya community, promising to address challenges of street trading, waste management, and flooding.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the assurance on Saturday during a working visit to Iwaya, Yaba, where he also paid a courtesy visit to the Olu of Iwaya, Oba Suleiman Owolabi.

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Wahab, who later inspected ongoing environmental and infrastructure projects on Lagos Island, said the government was determined to bring lasting solutions to the environmental issues affecting Iwaya residents.

“We came to Iwaya because we promised the oba and the community that we would assess the state of the environment. We have awarded contracts to complete a collector linking the community to the lagoon. The oba also raised issues on street trading, waste management, and flash flooding, which we inspected,” he said.

He described the visit as timely, noting that it coincided with the state’s preparation of the 2026 budget, assuring that the Iwaya project would be given priority.

“Thankfully, the visit is timely because we are preparing next year’s budget. We want to prioritise this Iwaya project,” Wahab added.

The commissioner highlighted Iwaya’s strategic location between the University of Lagos and the lagoon, stressing that the government would ensure the dredging and cleaning of water channels to guarantee free flow of stormwater into the lagoon.

He also stated that officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) would enforce environmental laws in the area to curb street trading and illegal dumping of refuse.

Speaking after his inspection of projects on Lagos Island, Wahab commended the progress made by contractors, including Julius Berger, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment.

Sanwo-Olu Administration Vows to Tackle Flooding, Waste in Iwaya Community

“A few months ago, the situation was different. Now, you can see the progress. We’ve told them to align their work plans so we can deliver the projects on time,” he said.

On waste management, Wahab acknowledged recent setbacks but assured that the government was taking corrective measures.

“In the past few weeks, we have faced deterioration in the situation. We have engaged the PSP operators and addressed their concerns. The governor met with them two weeks ago, and I have also met with them several times,” he explained.

He noted that Lagos, as a fast-growing city, faces similar waste management challenges as other megacities globally, adding that the government is shifting towards sustainable waste recycling.

“We are transitioning from the old practice of just picking and dumping waste. We are now treating waste as a resource. This is why we are increasing advocacy to show people that waste can generate income,” he said.

Wahab emphasized that building a sustainable waste management culture would take time but reaffirmed the state’s determination to create a cleaner, healthier Lagos for all.