The General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), Mrs. Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola has implored owners of animals roaming indiscriminately on beautified gardens across the State to cage them, adding that the Agency will henceforth track, seize and donate such animals to remand homes while their owners are identified and prosecuted.
Mrs. Adebiyi-Abiola, who stated this while on a monitoring tour of some beautified sites in the State, said that owners of these animals defecating and eating up young plants and trees especially at Olusosun embankment, Ojota; Alaagba Garden, Iyana Ipaja; Livistonia Garden, Adeniji Adele; Oworonsoki Expressway and other beautified gardens established across the State will be dealt with appropriately.
In her words “We will not tolerate animals defecating and roaming on our gardens, as this is an eyesore and an act capable of causing great damage to the green infrastructure”.
“I have taken my time to engage some owners of these animals individually and collectively and they have given me their word that they will make amends. But now, the full wrath of the Law will be visited on violators appropriately”, she enthused.
The General Manager added that the State Government is committed to raising the bar for maintaining a green and healthy environment to curb all environmental nuisances and make Lagos not only a reference point in Nigeria but Africa as a whole.
She stressed that enormous funds have been expended on creating these parks and gardens for recreation and well being of Lagosians, hence, the infrastructure will be guarded jealously to the admiration of the good people of the State.
The General Manager, therefore, advised owners of stray animals to build ranches in line with international best practices, warning that arrangements have been concluded with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) to track and prosecute owners of these animals in accordance with the State Environmental Law.
Meanwhile, the Agency has commended the Lions Club of Ikoyi for the rehabilitation and upgrade of Cream Rose Garden at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Speaking at the Commissioning of the upgraded Park dedicated to the memory of Lion Oye Williams, the First President of Ikoyi Lions Club, Adebiyi-Abiola noted that such private sector collaboration with government has raised the bar in provision of state-of-the-art facilities such as water fountains, garden seats and lights, as well as other infrastructure that beautify the various parks and gardens in Lagos State.
The General Manager, therefore, enjoined the Club to mobilize resources for the regular maintenance of the garden, as this would create more jobs for the army of unemployed youths and remain a critical factor for the survival of the project.
