Ogun urges proper waste management during festivities

Ogun State government has urged residents and visitors to observe proper waste management and maintain a clean, healthy, and safe environment during the Yuletide festivities.

The call was made by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abeokuta, while extending Christmas greetings and wishing residents a prosperous 2026.

Oresanya urged citizens to make environmental cleanliness their priority by ensuring their surroundings are tidy and that waste is stored in covered containers for collection by assigned waste management personnel.

“All the PSP operators in the state have been mandated to work round-the-clock throughout this festive period to collect wastes in their assigned areas for effective waste management, especially with the expected increase in waste generation from the celebration,” he said.

He added that all government waste management equipment, supported by environmental officials, had been deployed across the state to complement the efforts of the PSP operators in what he described as “Special End-of-the-Year Duties” aimed at maintaining a clean environment statewide

So, residents of the state and visitors are therefore assured of the government’s readiness to continue to maintain the clean environment the state is noted for at all times, as I urge our people to play their part by cooperating with them for this operation,” Oresanya said.

The commissioner also directed traders to conduct their businesses in a clean, safe, and healthy environment, especially during the heightened trading activities in markets and supermarkets over the festive season. He warned against street trading, noting that Environment Marshalls would be on duty to enforce compliance.

Oresanya specifically cautioned “emergency traders”—those displaying livestock and other goods on roadsides, medians, or in vehicle booths—to relocate to designated markets, where sufficient space is available. He said offenders would face not only the seizure of their goods but also community service for violating the state’s environmental regulations and spoiling the aesthetic beauty of Ogun.

He further advised motorists to drive cautiously to prevent accidents during the festive season, noting that street sweepers would be on duty statewide to maintain clean roads. Carnival organisers were also warned against blocking streets for celebrations, as state environmental laws prohibit such practices on public roads.

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