The Lagos State Government has imposed an absolute ban on the use and distribution of Styrofoam, sometimes known as takeaway packs, and other single-use plastics throughout the state, effective immediately.
In a statement that he personally signed on Sunday, Tokunbo Wahab, the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, made the announcement.
According to Wahab, the decision was made in response to the environmental damage caused by single-use plastics, particularly non-biodegradable Styrofoam.
Wahab stated that most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged up by Styrofoam and other plastics through its indiscriminate distribution and usage despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains with humongous amounts.
The Commissioner reiterated that the larger chunk of litterings across major roads and markets that LAWMA contends with daily is made up of styro foams.
Wahab has since asked the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Kick Against Indiscipline to swiftly execute the ban.
The Commissioner warned makers, distributors, and end-users of these styrofoam packets to take the prohibition seriously and find alternatives, or face significant fines and other consequences, including the closing of their premises.
He further threatened that they might be forced to pay for the daily cleanup of their goods from our roads and drainage systems, which costs tens of millions of naira every day.
“Our state cannot be held hostage to the economic interests of a few wealthy business owners compared to the millions of Lagosians suffering the consequences of indiscriminate dumping of single use plastics and other types of waste” , he said.
He advised consumers and communities to avoid styrofoam packs and single-use plastics, instead opting for reusable food containers and water bottles for their food and beverages.
“The convenience of single-use plastic comes at a significant cost to society.” “We must all make small sacrifices for our collective well-being,” Wahab said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
