The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), says it is increasing its zonal offices to 20 to ensure healthy environmental practices.
General Manager of LASEPA, Dr Dolapo Fasawe, made this known on Sunday, December 11, 2022, in Lagos, in a statement made available by the agency’s Chief Public Affairs Officer (CPAO), Mrs Bola Ajao.
Fasawe said that plans were in full gear to open additional three zonal offices, in order to serve the residents better and improve healthy environmental practices across the state.
She said that increasing the zonal offices was in the agency’s mission to safeguard the environment that was consistent with the social and economic needs of the state.
According to her, the move is in tandem with the agency’s vision to attain its target of increasing the zonal offices to 20 by the year 2023, in order to serve a larger number of people seeking LASEPA’s intervention across the state.
”To effectively serve and reach out to larger society, we increased our zonal offices from four to 20 in a space of four years. This noble move is to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and also improve response time.
”Like the existing ones, the new zonal offices will uphold the mandate of the agency and provide succour to citizens negatively affected by all forms of pollution in different parts of Lagos,” she said.
The LASEPA boss said that the need to bring environmental regulation closer to residents was in response to the goal of the 27th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) held recently in Egypt.
She said that COP27 emphasised the urgent need to unite the world through the people, in other to tackle climate change.
According to her, the additional three zonal offices that will sum up the offices to 20 are in Mushin, Alimosho 3, and Kosofe.
“The Mushin zonal office covers Idi-Araba, Fadeyi, Palmgrove, Onipanu, Papa Ajao, and Apapa-Oshodi Expressway; while Alimosho 3 zonal office would be in charge of Ipaja, Ayobo, Ekoro, Command, Ijaiye and Kola.
“The Kosofe zonal office will cover Gbagada, Oworoshoki, Ifako, Anthony village and Ajao Estate.
“The other existing 17 zonal offices are Apapa 1&2, Amuwo-Odofin1&2, Surulere, Lagos Mainland, Lekki,Epe, Alimosho 1&2, lkorodu 1&2, Orile-lganmu, Badagry, lsolo, Ojo and Agege,” she said.
Fasawe said that necessary equipment and manpower were in the new places to facilitate the smooth running of the new zonal offices.
By Florence Onuegbu
