APRNEWS - As the environment is becoming dusty and hazy, the Lagos State government has urged residents to be cautious of fire and environmental hazards.

The State commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, who gave this advice during an interactive session with newsmen in Alausa, Ikeja, stressed that it was necessary to enlighten Lagosians to show utmost love to their environment, even as they celebrate the Christmas and New year.

Durosinmi-Etti, urged Lagosians to respect the environment, bear in mind that a lot of waste would be generated during the Christmas and New Year celebrations and dispose of animal waste properly as well as bag their refuse and put at designated points.

He assured Lagosians that the State Government was redoubling efforts through the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to ensure a cleaner and healthier state for the benefit of all residents of the state. He urged Lagosians to desist from acts that could have negative impacts on the environment, reduce their waste and think of the environment first as they make their yuletide preparations.

The Environment Commissioner advised Lagosians to guide against the outbreak of epidemics, saying that residents must always ensure that they handle waste in the most appropriate way by properly bagging them and placing them strategically in front of their buildings.

Meanwhile, Durosinmi-Etti also urged Lagosians to be cautious of naked fire in cigarettes, firewood, cooking stoves among other sources, in order to reduce the incidents of fire outbreaks, especially during this harmattan season.His words: “as our environment is becoming dusty and hazy with dryness affecting everything including trees, wooden items, leaves and furniture, we urge residents to be extremely careful with fire so as to prevent outbreaks because fire is nobody’s friend.”

He advised Lagosians to take precautionary measures by making sure that they avoid bush and solid waste burning during this period as this may lead to fire outbreak, while urging all to install fire extinguishers in their homes, cars, offices, market places and motor parks.

The Commissioner stated that motorists should ensure that they have fire extinguishers in their vehicles, maintain speed limits and observe road signs.

Durosinmi-Etti advised residents to make use of the Lagos State Parks in their neighborhood but be mindful of their activities in parks and gardens by obeying the Public Smoking Law and avoid bringing inflammable objects to the gardens.

He advised Lagosians against the storage of petrol and other inflammable materials at homes, offices, shops and markets as their storage could aid fire outbreak, especially at this Harmattan period when virtually all objects in the environment are dry.

With The Guardian