The Ogun State Government is set to establish a new environmental enforcement agency tasked with monitoring public infrastructure, enforcing sanitation laws, and curbing rising environmental violations across the state.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, during a radio interview on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu. The commissioner said the agency would function as an environmental watchdog to strengthen compliance and respond to worsening environmental challenges, particularly flooding.
According to Oresanya, the state has already initiated policy groundwork and constituted a task force. “We have policies, laws, and a task force in place. What follows is structured enforcement. We will fund the project, procure Black Maria vehicles, and deploy trained personnel to focus on sanitation and infrastructure,” he said.
The initiative is part of Ogun’s response to flood risk alerts issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which listed the state among 16 vulnerable to seasonal flooding. Oresanya said the government began preparations in February following early warnings and that all 20 local government areas were instructed to disseminate flood information down to community levels.
He identified several high-risk flood zones, including Alamutu, Shokori River Area, Orudu River, Oke-Ofa, Iju, Itaoshin, Olomore, Oparo, Banku, Odo Musa, and Alakonga. Ifo LGA was highlighted as a major flashpoint, while Ijebu-Ode was flagged for its severe erosion problems.
Oresanya also recalled a 1984 tremor that altered the water table in Ijebu-Ode, creating sinkholes and increasing ecological vulnerability. “We now have 16 active erosion sites in that area alone,” he said. “This is beyond a state issue. It’s a national emergency.”
He noted that the Ministry of Environment does not receive direct budgetary allocations and must rely on lobbying and federal ecological partnerships for project execution. “We’re not like other ministries with direct public funding. We push for Ogun’s inclusion in national ecological plans and supervise projects through collaboration,” he said.
Speaking on waste management, Oresanya described unregulated dumps as a threat to public safety. “We’ve found shocking items, including human remains, in waste dumps,” he said. “Waste tells the story of a household and a community. It’s more than just dirt.”
He emphasized residents’ legal right to demand waste removal and called on them to dispose of waste responsibly. “If refuse stays uncollected, residents can sue their local councils or the Waste Management Authority,” he said.
Commenting on the single-use plastic debate, he said Ogun would not follow Lagos State’s lead in banning plastics. “We’re not banning plastic; we’re insisting it doesn’t end up on the streets. Our approach focuses on waste-to-fuel conversion, job creation, and environmental relief,” he said.
He condemned the illegal excavation of public roads and pavements and urged the public to report such activities, which he said contribute to infrastructure damage and flood risks.
Oresanya also disclosed that several health centres had been impacted by floods. He cited the primary health centre in Ilese-Ijebu, which is currently undergoing evaluation for urgent repairs or relocation.
Urging public participation, he said, “If you see something, say something. The government can’t be everywhere, but citizens are. We need your cooperation. This is a shared responsibility.”
With the environmental watchdog agency in the pipeline and ongoing flood mitigation projects, Ogun State is moving toward a more responsive and accountable environmental governance system.
