The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has started removing waste from the city’s backlog, mostly through extensive overnight operations between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.
When discussing efforts made by the Agency to remove waste that residents across the State had indiscriminately dumped at some unapproved areas, the Authority’s managing director and CEO, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, revealed this information.
Odumboni listed the areas that have been serviced by the operations, including Mushin, Oshodi, Ejigbo, Lagos Mainland, Apapa axis, Surulere, Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Lekki axis, Victoria Island, and Ajah, while attributing the backlog to the scarce supply and exorbitant price of diesel that has adversely affected the waste evacuation efforts of the PSP operators and the agency.
His said, “I had stated earlier that we will capitalise on the cessation of rainfall and progress made on the rehabilitation of our landfills to clear the heaps of waste. The strategy has paid off as we have successfully cleared waste in most areas of our Lagos Central I and II, as well as East I and II districts. We are happy at the pace of progress, and the operations will continue until all parts of Lagos are covered”.
The CEO further urged locals to bag and containerize their garbage and support designated PSP operators in order to stop the flow of inappropriate waste disposal, admonishing them that anyone detected dumping waste carelessly would be brought before the law.
“We are appealing for cooperation from all residents to restore sanity to our environment. Bagging and containerisation of waste, while waiting for evacuation by assigned PSP operators, remains an effective means of curbing indiscriminate waste disposal. Anyone caught dumping indiscriminately would be sanctioned accordingly”, he said.
He urged residents to contact LAWMA at the toll-free numbers 07080601020 and 617 for fast assistance if they had concerns or questions about waste management-related issues in their areas.