The speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has called for more effective implementation of the environmental laws of the state.
Obasa, who said this during a stakeholders’ meeting he held with his constituency, added that the Lagos Assembly will continue to collaborate with the executive arm of government to make the state habitable for the residents.
Reacting to a question relating to indiscriminate dumping of refuse and used cans by residents and motorists, Obasa maintained that the laws regulating such negative practices are in place.
According to him, what is left is effective implementation by the authorities saddled with such responsibility.
“We have laws here and we will continue to encourage those implementing them to do whatever is necessary to regulate our lifestyles in the state.
“I don’t think we have any reason to amend any law. The laws we have are adequate enough to check us. It is all about implementation, which we need to improve on,” Obasa said.
Section 117 of the law states that: “Every commercial vehicle in the State shall carry a litter bin for the use of the passengers.
“A passenger shall not throw any litter, fruit skins, scrap paper or other item onto the road from any vehicle.
“Where no bin is provided, the driver shall be liable, in addition to any other person, for any contravention of subsection (2) of this section.”
The speaker noted that the stakeholders’ meeting was necessary owing to the recent flooding experienced by the state as well as the impact of global warming across the globe.
Noting that outcomes of previous town hall meetings have aided the planning and implementation of the annual budgets, he promised that reports from the stakeholders’ meeting would be favourably considered.
Meanwhile, the speaker has emphasised a cordial relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of the government.
Speaking concerning the first 100 days of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, Obasa said what the state needs is a collaboration between the arms of government for the general interest of the people of the state.