13th August, 2019
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has begun massive clean-up of Apapa and its environs of refuse and wastes.
The clean-up will also be carried out in other parts of the Lagos metropolis. The aim is to achieve its targeted zero tolerance to environmental nuisance and degradation.
Top officials of LAWMA visited Apapa area on Monday where massive clearing of wastes, street sweeping were ongoing.
Managing Director, LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin said the exercise was in furtherance of the executive order on zero tolerance for reckless waste disposal, recently signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to him, “We are here to monitor the ongoing clean up exercise of the Lagos metropolis which is in furtherance of the Executive order of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on environmental sanitation. You will recall a few weeks ago he issued executive order and we started the clean up exercise from Orile all the way down to Badagry Expressway, as you are aware, Apapa has been a major problem area, it’s being difficult to access this location.
“We have to seize this opportunity of Sallah break because traffic will be a little free today, we decided to come here to embark on massive clean-up of the axis, the LAWMA workers are all over the place clearing the silt and waste accumulated over several years because the area has been abandoned.”
He urged Lagosians to stop dumping refuse in drains and support the government in its quest to rid Lagos of refuse.
Gbadegesin said the agency had before this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration distributed trash bags across the state to aid proper disposal of refuse during the period.
“We are pleading with the residents of the state to use those trash bags to dispose their refuse properly. They should also make sure they have a waste bin at home. We don’t want people dumping their waste by the road side because this something that can put us at the risk of epidemic outbreak,” he said.
The LAWMA boss added that the state’s environmental laws on infractions were very clear, saying that the governor had through the executive order declared zero tolerance for environmental degradation.
He also disclosed that it had begun massive waste evacuation in the Lagos West Senatorial District which comprises Agege, Ikeja, Badagry, Ojo, Ifako-Ijaiye, among others in compliance with the executive order.
More so, Gbadegesin, disclosed that the agency had begun evacuation of waste from LASU gate to Seme which involved bulk waste evacuation from major locations between LASU gate and Okoko using mechanical process, motorised collection for kerbside collection using compactors; placement and regular collection of waste from appropriate receptacles; waste prevention activities which involved closure of illegal waste locations, otherwise known as black spots, through deployment of waste policing personnel and sustainability activities as well as improvement of waste collection activities at Seme border.
In Lagos Central Senatorial District, he said the authority had deployed more sweepers for street sanity; more trucks for prompt evacuation of waste, as well as intensified its waste collection programme; engaged the Community Development Associations, CDAs in advocacy in conjunction with L.G, among others.
“In addition to the above, same activities is on-going at the East District which has Lagos Island, Eti-Osa, Epe, Mile 12 to Ikorodu etc. All these 3 districts are working simultaneously during the day but more at night to avoid activities being impeded by vehicular activities. The Authority is also planning to compulsory the usage of covered receptacles for waste collection; encourage sorting from source; encourage the culture of waste bagging as against loose waste which is unsightly; repositioning PSP operations for optimal services; intensifying massive public awareness and policing of cleared black spots,” he said.