The Lagos State Government has taken decisive action against environmental infractions, sealing off approximately 250 establishments including industries, worship places, and nightclubs due to noise pollution and other violations over the past three months across the metropolis.
This move, disclosed by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), is part of a concerted effort to foster an enhanced, safer, and sustainable environment within the state. Babatunde Ajayi, the General Manager of LASEPA, made this revelation during a one-day capacity-building training for accredited consultants of the agency held in conjunction with the Climate Transition Academy at the Central Business Development Area, Ikeja, Lagos.
Ajayi emphasized that LASEPA has initiated several reforms aimed at achieving a quieter, cleaner, safer, and pollution-free Lagos. He highlighted that the training session was designed to update consultants’ understanding of contemporary approaches to address global climate change challenges and other environmental issues for sustainable development.
In urging the accredited consultants to align with the state government’s efforts in fostering a safer, healthier, and sustainable environment, Ajayi emphasized the adoption of the Environment Social Governance (ESG) global model to tackle identified environmental challenges.
He remarked, “The training of LASEPA accredited consultants has become necessary to enhance their knowledge and build their capacities in applying global standard models to manage environmental issues, particularly the challenges of climate change and associated greenhouse gas emissions.”
Furthermore, James Ogunleye, representing Carbon Limits Nigeria and other facilitators, highlighted that the program aimed to enlighten LASEPA-accredited consultants and broaden their understanding of current global sustainable environmental practices.
Ogunleye emphasized a significant shift from previous practices, wherein consultants merely needed knowledge of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Audit Report (EAR), and Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) to qualify, to a more comprehensive approach aligned with contemporary standards.