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3 hours ago
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Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, resolved to curb manhole theft and illegal activities of scavengers in the state.
The lawmakers made the resolution during plenary while debating the motion titled, “motion to Curb the Activities of Scavengers and Manhole Theft in Lagos,” moved by Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2).
According to the lawmakers, if the menace of scavenging and manhole theft is not checked, it will bring about an increase in accidents and blockage in drainage systems.
This House called on the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Commissioner for the Environment to sanction scavengers and cart pushers to curb their nefarious activities.
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.
He 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 enough and 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.
Yishawu asked the State to stop illegal sourcing of scrap materials, adding that the state should come up with whistler-blowing strategies and also work with 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.
Hon. Desmond Elliot (Surulere 1) 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 (Alimosho 1) said “We have all necessary laws in ensuring that stealing of manhole covers does not occur in the state. The laws should be enforced effectively to curb the menace.”
Hon. Bonu Solomon (Badagry 1) stated that destitution should be addressed, adding that the destitute turned out to become scavengers in the future.
Bonu called for the removal of destitute people from the streets of Lagos to prevent 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,” said Bonu.
Hon. Moshood Aro (Ikorodu 1) called for involvement of the community in the fight against the stealing of manholes in the state.
Aro added that community members should always alert security agencies when they see scavengers stealing the manholes.
Also, Hon. Steven Ogundipe (Oshodi/Isolo 1) canvassed the need to light up the street of Lagos so that the scavengers would be seen in the dark 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.
However, the Speaker of the House, Rt (Hon) Mojisola Meranda, called on Lagosians to act on the role of whistleblowers, adding that the state government cannot handle it alone.
Meranda called on the state government to sensitise Lagosians on the negative effects of the activities of the scavengers.
She urged the state government to educate Lagosians on the difference between sourcing used products for recycling and stealing state infrastructures.
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