Residents in Lagos have expressed dissatisfaction with the current waste disposal system, citing indiscriminate dumping and inadequate collection services. Despite efforts by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to improve waste management, residents say a better system is needed to address the issue. Environmental advocate Wisdom emphasized the need for a sound waste evacuation system to tackle the menace, stressing that a convenient waste disposal system would encourage citizens to dispose of waste properly.
The issue was highlighted at Jakande Estate, Isolo, Oshodi-Isolo LG, Lagos, where indiscriminate dumping by the roadside and drainage was observed. Resident Tolu Adegoke noted that after LAWMA cleared refuse at the entrance of his community, people began gathering it inside the street. He faulted the waste collection approach and called on the government to improve the system. Some residents appreciated the state government's intervention but lamented the return of heaps of refuse after a while.
LAWMA Managing Director Muyiwa Gbadegesin described urban sanitation as a chain that includes cleaning, containment, collection, evacuation, and safe disposal. He noted that if one link fails, waste eventually returns to the street. Gbadegesin said the monthly sanitation exercise, reintroduced to address shortcomings, would help identify blackspots, blocked drains, and weak collection routes.
The monthly sanitation exercise aims to create a regular period for households, markets, businesses, and communities to clean their premises, public spaces, and drainage channels. Gbadegesin charged residents to keep their surroundings clean and dispose of waste properly, emphasizing that the public waste system has a corresponding responsibility to provide reliable services.
First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, appealed to residents to be patient with the state government's efforts to address waste management challenges. She urged residents to see the monthly exercise as an opportunity to take greater responsibility for their environment and emphasized the importance of waste sorting.
Sanwo-Olu participated in the sixth edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Mafoluku, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, alongside other officials. She called on residents to separate recyclable, dry, and wet waste to make collection, evacuation, and further management easier.
The exercise served as a reminder of the importance of maintaining clean and sustainable communities, particularly at the grassroots, to reduce the risk of communicable diseases. Sanwo-Olu led the monitoring team, which included the wife of the Deputy Governor and officials of the Ministry of Environment and LAWMA.
Key points
- LAWMA reintroduces monthly sanitation exercise to address waste management shortcomings
- Residents call for improved waste collection services and a sound waste evacuation system
- First Lady urges residents to take responsibility for their environment and practice waste sorting
