LAGOS, JULY 30, 2016 – An official of Mosan-okunola, Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Alimosho, Lagos has urged Lagos State House of Assembly to expedite action in passing the law on environmental sanitation.
Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, Sole Administrator of theLCDA made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday.
The bill on environmental law is entitled, “the Criminal Jurisdiction Bill for the Customary Court’’.
The administrator noted that implementation of the criminal jurisdiction law would empower customary courts to prosecute violators of sanitation laws.
“The problem of the increased impunity and misconduct experienced on sanitation days within the state is because the customary courts lack the powers to prosecute violators.
“That is why we are appealing to the House of Assembly to expedite action in passing the bill into law to facilitate criminal jurisdiction of the customary courts.
“Seven arrests were made earlier in Saturday’s sanitation within the council area,’’ he said.
Ogunwuyi noted that two of the arrests were in Gowon and five from Abesan Estates.
The administrator said the two arrests at Gowon Estate were volatile cases because the alleged offenders assaulted staff of the council.
He said the Gowon Estate cases had been reported to the Police for necessary action because both were criminal offences.
According to him, the officers were engaged in enlightenment programme to educate residents on the need to obey environmental laws, as no one is expected to be above the law.
Ogunwuyi added that the residents were then warned to desist from defying the rule, so as to avert unnecessary punishment and embarrassment.
“But when the criminal jurisdiction bill is passed into law and the customary courts empowered, no offenders will be spared from prosecution,’’ he said.
The administrator also said that the council was planning to organise more enlightenment programmes to educate residents on the need to comply with laws including that on environmental sanitation.
“There ought to be restriction of movement during the exercise, as provided for by the policy.
“Three hours from 7 to 10 am in just one Saturday in a month is not too much to stay at home and clean your environment. “Cleanliness they say, is next to godliness,” he said.
