Twenty officials from the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and other agencies under the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources have completed specialised training in Environmental Justice.
The programme, conducted in two phases in Lagos and Abuja, was funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the NUFFIC Orange Knowledge Programme and implemented by the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) in the Netherlands.
The training, themed “Reducing Ecological and Social Inequalities through Effective and Participatory Land Governance,” saw participation from representatives of LASEPA, Lagos State Parks and Gardens, Lagos State Waste Management Authority, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, and Lagos State Lands Bureau.
Emphasising multi-stakeholder collaboration, the programme included visits to related agencies to foster knowledge sharing and co-creation. Critical topics covered during the training included land governance, water and air pollution, socio-spatial and environmental justice, and climate change-induced displacement and resettlement.
A key focus of the training was Baruwa, a community severely affected by hydrocarbon contamination from state-owned pipelines since 1999. As a result of the training, the Lagos Water Corporation has initiated a project to restore clean water to Baruwa, marking a significant step towards resolving a long-standing issue. The plight of the Baruwa community has been widely reported by both local media and international outlets.
This initiative highlights the importance of addressing ecological and social inequalities through effective governance and collaborative efforts.
