The wife of the Lagos State governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has appealed to residents to be patient with the government over delays in waste evacuation. She made the appeal during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the Mafoluku area of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area. Some residents had complained about delays in refuse collection by Private Sector Participation operators. Dr. Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the challenges and assured residents that efforts are underway to resolve them.
Residents had expressed frustration over the irregular visits of PSP operators, which have resulted in the accumulation of waste in their neighborhoods. Adebayo Agbalara, a resident, lamented the situation and appealed for intervention. Dr. Sanwo-Olu engaged with the residents and identified some of the issues affecting waste collection. She noted that PSP operators were experiencing delays in evacuating waste at dumpsites, which contributed to the problem.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu attributed some of the challenges to the increase in charges by PSP operators and the limited capacity for waste disposal. She explained that the turnaround time for trucks to dump waste at dumpsites was lengthy, often taking two or three days. The First Lady assured residents that the government is working on a new strategy and approach to waste disposal and management.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Sanwo-Olu commended residents for bagging their refuse instead of dumping it beside drainage channels. She noted that a waste truck was already evacuating refuse in the area, although the process was not as fast as residents expected. The First Lady urged residents to separate waste, noting that recyclable materials and other categories of waste were often mixed.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu also emphasized the importance of instilling environmental consciousness in schoolchildren from an early age. She observed that children were participating in the sanitation exercise, which was a positive development. The First Lady expressed optimism that with time, Lagos would overcome its waste management challenges.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, assessed the progress of the monthly sanitation exercise. He noted that public participation had increased significantly, with residents voluntarily coming out to clean their homes and streets. Rotimi-Akodu attributed the success to growing public awareness and the efforts of officials to encourage participation.
Rotimi-Akodu urged residents to stop indiscriminate dumping and embrace waste separation from the point of generation. He suggested that residents could separate plastics, paper, and other recyclable materials, which could generate income. The Special Adviser emphasized that the goal was to achieve a cultural change in the way residents treated their environment.
Key points
- Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu appeals for patience over waste evacuation delays in Lagos State
- The government is working on a new strategy and approach to waste disposal and management
- Public participation in the monthly sanitation exercise has increased significantly
