In order to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment, the Lagos State Ministry of Environment on Saturday mopped up an illegal dumpsite at Coconut Area of the Apapa axis.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti who observed that the black spot had been in the area for over a year, said the mop-up of refuse on the Apapa axis of Oshodi Expressway was necessary because of the hazard it posed for the residents of the environment.

He said that after the mop-up, refuse bins would be placed at strategic locations in the area.

”There is a proliferation of trucks in the area, which has been a major problem in Lagos State over the last one year. This has led to an accumulation of waste and it has constituted hazard to the communities and residents around this area.

”Virtually, what has accounted for this is the inaccessibility of the zone by refuse trucks, because of traffic caused by trucks parking along the road. We are also working with the Ministry of Transportation to see how there can be a traffic ingress and exit for refuse trucks coming to pick these bins.

”This is important because we need to look at sustainability. We are working with volunteers from truck owners and volunteers from the communities,” Durosinmi-Etti said.

Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in Lagos state Alhaji Abdullahi Inuwa said the association was working to provide mobile toilets, to ensure that its members did not defecate in the open.

”We are very happy about the clean up because a clean environment is an access to good health. That is why we are collaborating with the Ministry of Environment on the clean-up. We thank the Ministry of Environment for coming to mope up the place in spite of the difficulty in accessing the road,” he said.

He said that a committee had been constituted to ensure the environment was kept clean as well as ensure that the Ministry had access whenever it wants to evacuate refuse in the area.

The Secretary of Ibafon Market, Alhaji Rafiu Oga said that the refuse had caused havoc for them and all efforts by the market to evacuate it proved abortive.

“We have assured the commissioner of monitoring the environment because we already have a committee,” he said.