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The Government of Lagos State has insisted that its recent ban on the use of styrofoam remains.
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, reiterated this on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at the Alausa secretariat in Ikeja, during a consultative meeting with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Restaurant and Food Services Proprietor Association of Nigeria (REFSPAN).
Wahab said the enforcement of the could be extended by three weeks to allow producers and entrepreneurs in the hospitality business to exhaust their stock.
The commissioner said this after the representatives of MAN, Okpe Sunday, and REFSPAN, Olaoye Kazeem begged the state government for more time to exhaust their stock.
He said, “This conversation has been ongoing for over three years, waiting for the big bold step of enforcement. Enough damage has been done to the health of the people, state and environment.
“The number of lives that have been lost following effects of the use of Styrofoam, destruction of the ecosystem and aquatic life, as well as the menace brought upon the environment, cannot be quantified.
“The rippling effect of Styrofoam on the healthcare system is enormous, and appeals to hold the ban are like wanting people to take poison for longer to mitigate manufacturers’ commercial losses.
“Government is putting a human face to this ban by giving a three-month moratorium to producers and entrepreneurs in the hospitality business. They should also know that leadership and governance involve taking tough decisions.”
When announcing the ban, Wahab said it was necessary due to the menace the ‘takeaway packs’ and other single-use plastics are causing the environment.