THISDAYonline

Lagos is reputedly the sixth biggest city in the world. By this fact alone, the state administration is expected to have a proper focus in terms of shelter, health, city and demographic planning for the estimated 14 million people in Lagos, with hundreds streaming in daily.

However, the infrastructural transformation that Lagos and its environs witnessed from the colonial days, through independence and now to the millennium era seems to have brought out sheer filth, muck through blockages of most of the 16 major drainage channels which should ordinarily open up to the lagoon.

The canal under the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge in the Maryland area of Lagos is an example. The water is brackish with chemical and other industrial wastes, household wastes including leaves of local pap and moinmoin (bean cake), pure water sachets. Cane makers around the area have been accused several times by state government officials of blocking the drains, without any visible change.

Apart from blocked drains, the unwanted accumulation of refuse either in heaps, mounds and hillocks dot the length and breadth of Lagos. The sidewalks on major roads and even entrance to many streets are adorned with various filth in bags, plastic containers, cartons and wretched clothing. Mushin, Oshodi, Iyana Ipaja, Agege, Iju Ishaga, Ikorodu road, Ketu, Ojota, Ikorodu town and other outskirts of the city have similar wares on display.

The reality as at today is that rubbish heaps have once again taken over Lagos and this time with a vengeance. Waziri Adio, Thisday columnist, in a piece titled "And Lagos goes to seed again," in August 2002, captured a rather seedy situation reminiscent of the first 12 months of Governor Bola Tinubu in Lagos during which Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, was submerged in filth.

Using Oshodi as an example, Adio appealed to Tinubu to wake up and resuscitate the refuse disposal tactics he once used when public outcry was too much in 1999.

Mr. Femi Oginni, a public affairs analyst and long time resident of Lagos, was of the opinion that the Tinubu administration has not fully considered the health implications of the regular accumulation of filth in many parts of Lagos. "If these people (Tinubu government) really have the people in mind then they must not allow these things to continue to happen. If they do what is expected of them, our hospitals will have fewer patients suffering from weatherborne diseases prevalent these days. Do we say LAWMA is tired?" he asked.

The problems are multifarious. The Tinubu government at various times had enunciated several peopleoriented programmes and policies but the lasting impact of these remains to be seen. The state governor, apart from hacking at his perceived enemies, continues to blame unregistered truck pushers who collect refuse for a reduced fee (from residents) and dump them everywhere. He has also blamed prominent people, churches and mosques of erecting structures, which block the passageway of many of the 16 drainage channels.

Tinubu also blamed the people for their bad health habits. These, according to him, include the dumping of discarded pap leaves, banana peelings, and pure water sachets anywhere. He said this undisciplined approach both in the homesteads, on major roads and every other place constitutes the greatest problem to his drive to rid Lagos of refuse.

Efforts made so far

In fairness, at an early stage of his administration, Tinubu launched a war on mountainous filth (July 1999) and called it Operation Drains and Waste Clearing in the state. Teams called Drain Ducks and Attack Squads descended on every part of Lagos and cleared the drainages as well as the filth we see today.

Besides, he set up the Lagos State Waste and Management Authority (LAWMA) to ensure the prompt clearing of refuse all over the state. At a point in time, the governor modernised many refuse dump sites at Olusosun, AbuleEgba and Solous.

It would be recalled that the publicity loving Governor once signed the Environmental Sanitation Bill into law, a development which makes it an offence for any person to run a private refuse collection outfit without government approval.

It is noteworthy to say that in the view of a cross section of Lagosians these lofty moves have largely served to boost the governor's image rather than ensure public service. Many critics including Mrs. Bunmi Senami, a housewife, who lives in Abule Egba, believe that LAWMA, Highway Managers, another adhoc body, as well as the Private Sector Participation (PSP) were all set up primarily for political patronage and not for consistent and regular service to the public.

These people question the sensitivity of the government of the day to the plight with some particularly blaming the cabinet for going to the press first before tackling the main problem. Two examples suffice here. One was the epidemic outbreak at the relief centres set up for victims of the January 27 2()02 Ikeja bomb blast. Another is the government response to the plight of victims of the Idumagbo bomb explosion.

The Issues

It is apparent that the Tinubu administration is good at enunciating programmes but very weak at execution. This is due to several factors. One is that the various infrastructural transformation taking place in Lagos, particularly the construction and rehabilitation of roads, has not taken the environment into consideration. With the deluge of people into the "Centre of Excellence" daily, it is also apparent that these facilities are grossly overstretched.

The paucity of funds available to the government is also another factor. The state government has unreasonably dabbled into money draining projects including the construction of Millennium Schools while other areas particularly the health and environmental sectors are given attention only in times of crisis.

Another point is that the state government has not been able to coordinate the activities of those ministries, which can ensure safe and sound health for the people. The health, lands and housing, agriculture, transportation, education should regularly liase with the environment ministry to fashion out ways of ridding Lagos state of filth and the attendant flood.

The role of government to educate the people through various enlightenment programmes is also an issue. Despite Tinubu's condemnation of the poor attitude of people of throwing filth around, the government itself stands condemned for not embarking on a concerted sensitisation programme on public health. What it has done haphazardly was to make a few attempts and clamp shut. That is why the filth is back.

This ought to be an exercise that should span the governor's tenure as old habits diehard and government's efforts to cause a positive change in lifelong habits does not come easily. How do you tell a 70yearold man in the interior not to use chewing stick and throw the spittle straight into the gutters one storey down? For a "Lagosian" Tinubu ought to adopt a better approach.

The lack of government will to enforce its own laws against those flouting sanitation laws shows a weakness. Tinubu had admitted severally that some prominent Lagosians, religious leaders inclusive erect structures on the path of the various channels that should flow into the lagoon. He added, at a public forum, late last year that efforts of a popular construction company, to clear the drains failed completely due to this fact. Who then is the governor blaming for this failure? What has he done to the offenders?

Suggestions

Lagos deserves far better than what it is getting under the Bola Tinubu administration. Our people in every nook and cranny of the state need to be told about the dangers of filth and flooding and what ought to be done to reduce or avert such. This means that there is an urgent need for strategic and focussed efforts to address many problems, particularly those relating to the environment. A good team with focus under another party platform needs to come on board for this tireless and patriotic task.

On the issues of emergencies in the area of health (reference the Ikeja bomb blast and Idumagbo explosion), there should be as a matter of government policy, a professional body made up of health experts, technocrats to provide relief materials and assist in the distribution of such. Lagos State does not need publicists in fez caps celebrating the tragedy of the people they were elected to govern. One would have expected a more focused government approach in the aftermath of the Idumagbo explosion coming shortly after the Ikeja Cantonment tragedy.

There is a need for a new broom at Alausa, which will redevelop the markets. It is not the palliative move like the current Market Advisory Council. This body will ensure the redevelopment of Ojuwoye, Mile 12, Alaba with special emphasis on environmental and health factors.

Lagos deserves better. It deserves somebody who is courageous and firm. The filth is too much. It needs a government which has plans, not deals every time.

Jones writes from Ebute- Metta, Lagos