TheCable

Akinwumi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, says government officials will soon be going around the state to evacuate waste.

Ambode said this on Wednesday while speaking at the third quarter town hall meeting, which held at the Badore ferry terminal in Ajah., the governor appealed to the people to exercise patience with the administration ahead of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) billed to commence in September.

The governor appealed to the people to exercise patience with his administration ahead of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) billed to commence in September.

Lagosians have been complaining about the heaps of refuse in public places, but Ambode said CLI, which he described as a “wholistic and comprehensive waste management policy” was currently in its gestation period.

He said once fully operational, waste would be collected in line with international best practices, while all parts of the state would be kept clean always.

“The governor, however, urged residents to adopt a new attitude to disposing of waste and desist from dumping in drainages and canals,” Habib Aruna, chief press secretary to the governor, said in a statement.

“In the meantime, Governor Ambode said all the 20 local government and 37 local council development chairmen have been mandated to ensure 24/7 cleaning of the environment, while officials of the state government would be moving around to evacuate waste.”

The governor added that the expansion and reconstruction of the Oshodi-International Airport road would commence in September.

According to Ambode, the construction, which has already been awarded, will convert the road from four lanes to 10 lanes with interchange and flyover that would drop commuters to the local airport.

In May, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo approved that the road should be handed over to the state government.

The governor said fluctuations in dollar rates at the time the bid was last opened delayed the commencement of rehabilitation of 181 inner roads but that a new bid would be opened in the next two weeks.

“By the next two to three weeks, I will reopen the advert to get a new cost and all things been equal the job would start on the roads by end of September,” he said.

He also assured the residents that the state public works would seize the period of the break in the rains to fix all potholes across the state.