By Chris Onuoha

As millions of people across the globe observe September 18, as an annual “World Clean Up Day,” Nigeria is not left out, as youth groups in Lagos embarked on a clean up exercise to commemorate the day.

The event coordinated by a Lagos based waste recycling company Alon Green in collaboration with Sustyvibes, engaged the youths in the exercise, carried at the busy Ipaja market in Ayobo, Lagos State. Although, the exercise simultaneously carried across the country by many groups, Alon Green chose Iyana Ipaja market and the environs as major spots of the exercise with many participants comprising youthful volunteers who participated amidst fun and fulfillment.

Speaking to journalists at the event, the Project Head, Alon Green Recycling, Adewale Badmos said, “Today is world Cleanup Day. We embark on this exercise as part of our social responsibility to the society and to sensitize the people about the sustainability of our clean green environment.

“For us at Alon Green Recycling, today’s event goes beyond normal clean up. The environment as we speak is polluted majorly with plastic wastes littered all over our streets and waterways. We are using this opportunity to create awareness of the pollution and to sensitize people on how to manage the waste and to identify with the government’s efforts in keeping the city clean. Beyond that, we also let them know through advocacy that money can be made from proper management of plastic wastes. On advocacy, our team counsels them on how to source the plastics by grade and colours and also disclose information of some of the recyclers in the city,” Badmos said.

Tolu Alashe, project coordinator for SustyVibes in his remarks said, “It is our duty as members of the community to ensure that our environments are kept clean all time. This is the best way to celebrate a day like this. We go out into the streets, to sensitize the people about how to clean up their environment, pick dirt and debris that litters and pollute the environment for proper management.

“SustyVibes as a voluntary organisation is a youth led team centered on many core activities that engages the youths meaningfully. We partner with Alon Green waste management aggregators in the exercise because their responsibility goes beyond waste collection to creating jobs for the youths. Here, you can see that the volunteer youths have their fun, feel free to socialize and interact with the host communities where the clean up exercise is being carried. And after the exercise, the plastic wastes will be handed over to the co-partner, for onward processing,” Alashe said.

Princess Adebisi Adigun, Secretary to the Iyaloja of Ipaja market in her remarks said that she was very happy to receive the team. She noted that she will also do more awareness talk with her members in the market to bring about attitudinal change in the way wastes is managed at the market place.