Now, it is important, that with these new public utility infrastructures in place, the public should take ownership, and maintain these facilities. The slum areas covered in Lagos State include: Agege, Orile Agege, Ajegunle, Amukoko, Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ilaje, Bariga and Ijeshatedo/Itire. Continue...
The intervention projects include provision
and rehabilitation of roads, drainage systems, Primary Health Care Centers,
primary and secondary schools, water supply boreholes, market stalls,
electricity transformers, etc; that have improved life in many ways for these
slum communities.
In
a statement, the Project Director, Mr Dayo Oguntunde, highlighted the impact
and success of LMDGP intervention projects. 'From Layinka Street in Ajegunle to
Kabiyesi, Igun, Ogunfeyitibi, Oluwashina, Itire/Ijesha, Oremerin, Oduselu
streets in Mushin – all in Lagos West, to Oremeji, Salimotu, Oyewole, Ajiboye,
Olagoke, Soretire, Church, Oguntade, Tabon-Tabon, Oke-Koto, Alagba streets – in
Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, to Anjorin, Labaka, Alfia, Fatai
Bello, Muri Ojora, Aniyalaoye/Edidi in Amukoko, Ifelodun Local Council
Development Area, there are visible signs of development in both urban centres
and rural hinterlands.'
The
project objective remains to increase sustainable access to basic urban service
through the investments in critical infrastructures. Progress towards achieving
the objective of the project will be measured through: increase in the
percentage of population with access to safe water in the selected slums,
reduction in the percentage of household reporting flooding in the local
governments where selected drains basins lie and increase in the percentage of
generated garbage in Lagos that arrives for disposal at landfill among others.
Before
the intervention of the LMDGP projects the various slum communities in the
State were continuously being lined with garbage, dirt and various types of
waste thus jeopardizing the realization of the project objectives. This had
both environmental and health hazards. The blocked run-off water and stagnant
water do not only make the environment stink but increases the chances of
flooding and increased sanitation issues.
The
intervention of LMDGP in the nine slum communities in terms of provision of facilities
and critical infrastructure, is bringing the great relief to the slum dwellers.
This in turn had changed the physical outlook of the nine slum areas and the
social and economic lives of these slum dwellers are being upgraded. With the
provision of facilities and infrastructure in these slum communities, the
sustainability of the infrastructure is important for the continued upgrade of
the slum areas. The people have to be involved in the sustainability and there
must be a sense of belonging.
In
this regard, an environmental campaign towards sensitizing the slum communities
for ‘the Cleanest Street Competition’ was organized as an opportunity for
individuals and groups of the community to display/highlight the product of
their slum upgrade and clean-up efforts. The
competition was aimed at changing the behavior of people from passive to active
attitude to help maintain the good usage of public utility infrastructure. Some
of the key action points judged was: which street had stopped
blocking drainages and gutters with litter and illegal structures, carries out
the compulsory state weekly ‘clean up’ exercise, stopped the destruction of roads with burning tires,
cooking fires, etc. and stopped disposing of human waste on the streets. This is a
very important message for ‘Lagosians’ at the moment, especially in a world
where environmental issues have become a global concern.
The ‘Keep Your Environment Clean’ campaign was
concluded in a grand finale event that featured the ‘Cleanest Street
Competition’ results. The overall cleanest was won by Arumoh Street, in Ajeromi-Ifelodun
Local Government Area, while seven streets across others project communities
were declared runners up. The star prize includes a complete street make over,
provided by Berger Paints Ltd, the official sponsor of the competition.
Announcing the winners, Lagos State Governor, Babutubde Raji Fashola,
noted the LMDGP in partnership with Berger Paints Nigeria PLC, the official
sponsor of the event would paint all houses on the winning streets.
The Governor who commended the partnership between LMDGP and Berger
paints restated the State Government’s commitment to the life and welfare of
the slum areas at the grand finale of the ‘Keep Your
Environment Clean Campaign’ and maintained that it is the obligation of the
slum area dwellers to manage the facilities provided by LMDGP.
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