By Onyeanya Ebere
The Lagos State Government has restated its resolve to protect its coastline and develop sustainable infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina.
According to the statement, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, reaffirmed the commitment while representing the state at the ongoing United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
Wahab noted that Lagos, as a coastal city, faces multiple climate threats such as rising sea levels, extreme rainfall, and excessive heat.
“But we are not sitting back,” he said. “We are building resilient infrastructure. We must face our realities, resilience and ownership of infrastructure are key.”
He revealed that the state had undertaken year-round clearing of primary and secondary drainage channels to minimize flood risk and had constructed 76km of trapezoidal drainage systems over the last two years.
On waste management reforms, Wahab said Lagos generates over 13,000 tonnes of waste daily and is now transitioning from a linear disposal model to a circular economy.
“In the last two years, we have chosen to categorise waste as a resource. We’ve moved from a pick-and-dump system to a sustainable, climate-friendly model where waste is now seen as a source of wealth and energy,” he said.
