By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared a state of emergency on waste collection in the state following mounting challenges in the evacuation and disposal of refuse across the metropolis.
Sanwo-Olu made the declaration on Wednesday during an inspection of the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, where he assessed the situation alongside his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and other stakeholders in the waste management sector.
The governor attributed the recent slow pace of waste collection partly to the inability of some Private Sector Participation operators to meet their obligations, as well as operational challenges at the dumpsites. He also noted that recent fire incidents had affected operations at some disposal sites.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government was taking immediate measures to improve the capacity of the dumpsites and reduce the time waste trucks spend waiting to discharge refuse. According to him, Olusosun currently receives between 220 and 250 trucks daily, but the government plans to raise the capacity to between 350 and 450 trucks.
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The governor also disclosed that the government had ordered 160 modern compactor trucks to strengthen waste collection from homes, roads and other locations across the state. He said the government would also work with waste operators to increase their capacity and ensure that only operators capable of providing effective services remain in the system.
The Merit Newspaper reports that as part of the medium- and long-term measures, the state government is developing transfer loading stations and Material Recovery Facilities to improve waste processing and recycling. Sanwo-Olu said the government was also working to improve access roads to dumpsites to facilitate faster movement of waste trucks.
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The governor warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in unauthorised locations and directed that offenders caught in the act should be prosecuted. He also announced plans to reform the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, as part of efforts to improve efficiency and restore effective waste collection across Lagos.
