๐ORLD ๐ABITAT ๐AT: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฌ.
Oru Leonard
The Managing Director/CEO of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, has called for total compliance with the environmental laws of the state, to protect the environment and its inhabitants, from the harmful effects of indiscriminate dumping of waste and other negative practices.
Mr. Odumboni made this observation yesterday, in his statement on the occasion of this yearโs World Habitat Day, where he highlighted the need for residents, to maintain a cleaner and healthier environment, in their various business facilities and residential areas.
He said, โFor the environment to be conducive for living and business transactions, the onus lies on us to keep it clean. Failure to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment leaves us vulnerable, exposing our homes to preventable health and environmental challenges, such as disease outbreaks, blockage of drainage channels and flooding, among othersโ.
The LAWMA boss said the Authority was working round the clock, to ensure that the waste management needs of residents in the state were met, adding that the agency was working with PSP operators for prompt evacuation of wastes generated by tenements across the Lagos metropolis.
He urged residents to patronise assigned PSP operators and desist from dumping refuse at inappropriate locations or giving same to already outlawed cart-pushers, whose activities undermine efforts of the agency, warning that defaulters would be made to face the wrath of the law.
Background
The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our habitats, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. The Day is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.
In 1985 the United Nations designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.
History
World Habitat Day was first celebrated in 1986 with the theme โShelter is My Rightโ. Nairobi was the host city for the observance that year. Other previous themes have included: โShelter for the Homelessโ (1987, New York); โShelter and Urbanizationโ (1990, London); โFuture Citiesโ (1997, Bonn); โSafer Citiesโ (1998, Dubai); โWomen in Urban Governanceโ (2000, Jamaica); โCities without Slumsโ (2001, Fukuoka), โWater and Sanitation for Citiesโ (2003, Rio de Janeiro), โPlanning our Urban Futureโ (2009, Washington, D.C.), โBetter City, Better Lifeโ (2010, Shanghai, China) and Cities and Climate Change (2011, Aguascalientes, Mexico).
The theme for this yearโs World Habitat Day is โAccelerating urban action for a carbon-free worldโ. Cities are responsible for some 70 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions with transport, buildings, energy, and waste management accounting for the bulk of urban greenhouse gas emissions. The future of our planet depends on national, regional and local governments and organizations, communities, academic institutions, the private sector and all relevant stakeholders working together to create sustainable, carbon-neutral, inclusive cities and towns. World Habitat Day will amplify the global Race to Zero Campaign and UN-Habitatโs ClimateAction4Cities and encourage local governments to develop actionable zero-carbon plans in the run up to the international climate change summit COP26 in November.