Ogun launches Lagos-style environmental task force to combat flooding, waste and infrastructure abuse across communities, following new high-risk alerts by NiMet

Ogun launches Lagos-style environmental task force to curb rising threats of environmental abuse, flash floods and sanitation neglect across the state’s vulnerable communities.

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The state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, revealed this during a live interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, where he explained that the agency would function as a dedicated watchdog to enforce sanitation laws and maintain public infrastructure.

“We have started already. We have a task force. We have policies. We have laws,” Oresanya stated.

“The next step is putting structures in place to ensure compliance. That is where enforcement comes in.”

The commissioner said that Ogun launches Lagos-style interventions as part of an emergency response to warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which named the state among sixteen at risk of heavy flooding this year.

As part of the new strategy, the government will procure Black Maria vehicles, recruit personnel, and prioritise sanitation enforcement.

He explained that all 20 local governments had been directed to pass down early flood alerts from February and NiMet’s latest advisory from April 18 to Community Development Associations and neighbourhood councils.

Oresanya listed high-risk flood zones including Alamutu, Orudu River, Iju Area, Olomore, and Alakonga. In Ifo Local Government Area, he described the situation as critical.

In Ijebu-Ode, erosion has been escalating. Oresanya recalled a 1984 earth tremor that dried up the water table, destabilised the ground, and caused landslides.

“That tremor turned Ijebu-Ode into an ecological risk zone. We now have 16 active erosion sites in that area alone,” he said.

The commissioner described this as a national emergency, noting that Ilese had been earmarked for direct intervention.

He also disclosed that the Ministry of Environment does not receive direct budget allocations for many of its activities.

“We don’t operate like other ministries that get direct access to public funds,” he said.

“We must keep lobbying at the federal level to ensure key environmental projects are captured and executed. It’s a tough position, but it challenges one to be creative.”

On a personal note, Oresanya added, “I am responsible for my actions. Funds or not, you must be creative. Don’t promise what you can’t fulfil.”

Touching on waste management, he said the matter went beyond cleanliness to public health and security.

He revealed that authorities had discovered shocking items at illegal dumpsites, including dead bodies.

“Waste is not just dirt; it is a mirror of our lives,” he said.

“If you have your own waste bin at home, your waste tells your story.”

He urged residents to adopt responsible waste disposal and to report authorities if waste remained uncollected.

He clarified that Ogun would not mirror Lagos’s ban on single-use plastics but would instead enforce a zero-littering policy.

“Our approach is different,” Oresanya stressed. “Whether it’s plastic or paper, it must not end up on the streets.”

He also warned against unauthorised digging of roads and pavements, which threaten infrastructure and worsen flooding.

Health facilities have also suffered from environmental neglect.

The primary health centre in Ilese-Ijebu is undergoing assessment for renovation or relocation.

Oresanya called for greater civic participation. “If you see something, say something,” he said.

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“The government can’t be everywhere, but the people are everywhere.”