Lagos: The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has assured residents that the current waste collection challenges across the state will be resolved within the next six to eight months. The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made this assurance during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held in Badagry on Saturday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Gbadegesin dismissed claims that local governments were attempting to take over LAWMA’s waste management responsibilities through independent collection initiatives. He clarified that local governments are, in fact, partners assisting LAWMA in various ways, including acquiring two compactor trucks each, while the Lagos State Government is procuring additional trucks to bolster waste collection and service delivery across the state.
Dr. Gbadegesin attributed the delays in waste collection to Lagos’ burgeoning population and the concomitant increase in waste generation. He explained that the state is expanding its waste management infrastructure to address these challenges, with new disposal facilities being developed. Construction is ongoing at Olusosun, and transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities are also under development. A major material recovery facility is planned for Badagry, which will focus on recycling and resource recovery, rather than serving as a dump site.
Recent operational disruptions were blamed on flooding around the Olusosun dumpsite, which made access roads difficult for refuse trucks. Dr. Gbadegesin assured that another section would be reopened by Tuesday to facilitate waste dumping, affecting only 30 to 40 percent of Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators. He expressed confidence that residents would see improvements in waste collection by the end of the week.
Dr. Gbadegesin urged residents to properly store refuse and pay PSP operators promptly to support efficient waste management. He advised against dumping refuse on roadsides during collection delays and encouraged residents to report service lapses through LAWMA’s customer service channels for prompt resolution.
In a related development, Princess Damilola James, the Lagos State APC deputy governorship candidate, urged residents to embrace regular environmental sanitation. During a community sanitation exercise in Vetho Ajara, Badagry, she emphasized the importance of regular sanitation, especially during the rainy season, to prevent blocked drains and reduce flooding. She encouraged residents to support the Lagos State Government’s sanitation enforcement efforts and maintain environmental cleanliness beyond designated sanitation days.
Princess James highlighted the community bond and shared responsibility that community sanitation exercises foster, commending Lagos environmental authorities for their enforcement of sanitation regulations. She expressed confidence in the continuity of these efforts, anticipating that Dr. Obafemi Hamzat would sustain these cleanliness initiatives in Lagos State come 2027.