Lagos Govt slams NYSC member over ‘smelly environment’ complaint

By Adeola Ogunrinde

Lagos State Government has slammed a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ushie Uguamaye, for stating that “Lagos is smelling.” The Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina, told the media that despite perceiving Lagos as smelly, the corps member still enjoys the city’s nightlife, as seen in her TikTok videos.

Adesina said those who hold such views are the very same people who flock to Lagos in droves, putting undue pressure on the state’s infrastructure.

“They can always say whatever they want, but what they fail to realize is that it is the same people who come into Lagos in the thousands on a daily basis that make a mess of all the measures the state government is putting in place. Yes, they are the ones.

“When we say there should be no street trading, they are the same ones who carry backpacks, who come into Lagos without family, without lineage, or without a place to sleep at night. They are the ones selling at bus stops or even in traffic. They are the ones who mess up the roads with open defecation. They engage in these activities and then turn around to accuse the government of not doing what is right.

“They are the same people who disrupt all the programs and plans being implemented, and when you try to enforce the law on them, people keep shouting that the government is too draconian and is applying excessive force.

“You can’t stop them; they will tell you they are citizens of Nigeria, which guarantees free movement and free exit for everyone. There is no law that says, ‘Mister, you cannot come from Sokoto or from Anambra State to Lagos.’ You can’t stop them. Their influx is part of what has put undue pressure on our social infrastructure. So, I won’t be the one to propagate all the nonsensical thoughts she expressed. I’ve seen several pictures of the lady in nightclubs, enjoying herself in Lagos,” he said.

He further stated that despite what some people think about Lagos, global organizations have always rated the state in a good light.

He added, “If you say things are too expensive, remember that the global recession is not just about Lagos. I recall the last time I had the opportunity to travel. What we normally buy for $1 were selling for $5, $6, or $10 there. When I asked people, they said, ‘Well, it’s not just in Nigeria; the issue is global.’”