22nd January, 2018
Mr Saka Fafunmi, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on the Environment, on Monday lauded Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s quick intervention in clearing the wastes in the state.
Fafunmi spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos against the backdrop of heaps of refuse that had taken over major streets in the state, which had attracted public criticisms.
“I must appreciate the quick intervention of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and for his zero tolerance for wastes mismanagement.
“The governor has brought in interventionists and Lagos has started wearing a cleaner face based on his activities.
“My appeal to residents of the state is to allow the governor to do what he knows how to do best,” he added.
According to him, the priority of the state government is to protect the environment and this necessitated the signing of contract with the Vision Scape to turn wastes to wealth.
Fafunmi said that the disengagement of PSP operators led to the uncleared heaps of refuse in major parts of the state.
“What we experienced in Lagos was not what we bargained for. For a very long time, we had been having issues with the PSP operators on the management of solid wastes.
“We see beyond what the general public sees; we are looking at the global picture.
“We don’t want wastes to be moved from one place and dumped somewhere and in the process contaminate the water body and the environment.
“That was why we came up with the idea of entrusting the waste management in the hands of a tested and proven organisation like Vision Scape.
“The transition was planned to be seamless by the government, the PSP should not have disengaged at the time they did.
“The operators ought to keep working until the time the new company has the capacity to cover the entire state,” the lawmaker said.
Fafunmi assured residents of the state that discussions were in top gear between the Lagos State Government and the PSP operators for them to continue serving the state.
“With this, they would be given a long-term contract and they can equally improve on their facilities and equipment; this is a very positive one.
“Vision Scape should be given an opportunity to work and Lagos State should not be an exception, because they have worked in other climes successfully.
“We should equally allow our PSP to still continue to operate in areas where Vision Scape cannot cover,” he said.