By ADERONKE OJEDIRAN

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has issued a final notice to illegal occupants and traders on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway median.

He said a comprehensive demolition and clearance exercise would begin next week.

Sanwo-Olu spoke on Saturday while monitoring the monthly environmental sanitation at Itire Road in Surulere Local Government Area.

He described the illegal occupation as an abuse of public infrastructure and a threat to ongoing investments along the corridor.

The governor said enforcement would cover the stretch from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko.

He said all illegal structures and encroachments on the highway median would be removed.

“This is the final notice to everyone occupying the Lagos-Badagry Expressway median.

“From next week, government will clear the entire median and restore it to its intended purpose.

“All illegal structures and encroachments will be removed because the median is not meant for trading or habitation,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said the government remained committed to protecting public assets and preserving the integrity of the highway project.

He said necessary personnel and equipment would be deployed to ensure sustained compliance.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving environmental sanitation and waste management across the state.

He said the state government had approved the procurement of 150 additional compactor trucks to strengthen refuse evacuation.

According to him, the first batch will arrive within three months to improve waste collection and disposal.

He said the state government, with local councils, was also procuring smaller compactor trucks for inner roads and estates.

According to him, some of the trucks will be assembled locally to support waste management and local industry.

Sanwo-Olu also announced plans for a modern material recovery and recycling facility.

He said the facility would process about 4,250 metric tonnes of waste daily into reusable materials.

According to him, the facility is expected to become operational next year, reducing pressure on existing landfill sites.

The governor acknowledged operational and financial challenges facing some Private Sector Participation operators.

He assured residents that government interventions would strengthen their operational capacity.

Sanwo-Olu urged residents to pay their waste disposal bills promptly to sustain waste collection services.

He described waste management as a shared responsibility involving government, service providers, businesses and residents.

The governor also urged parents to involve their children in sanitation activities to promote environmental responsibility.

He said building a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Lagos required collective participation.

Sanwo-Olu was accompanied by his wife, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, and the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab. (NAN)