The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has assured residents that ongoing challenges affecting waste collection across the state will be resolved within the next six to eight months.
LAWMA Managing Director, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, gave the assurance on Saturday during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held in Badagry.
Gbadegesin explained that recent difficulties in waste evacuation were linked to operational setbacks caused by flooding around the Olusosun dumpsite, which affected access for refuse trucks.
He also dismissed reports suggesting that local governments were taking over LAWMA’s responsibilities through independent waste collection efforts, describing the councils as partners supporting the agency’s operations.
“The local governments are partners. They are assisting the Lagos Waste Management Authority in various ways,” he said.
According to him, each local government area is expected to acquire two compactor trucks, while the Lagos State Government is also providing more equipment to boost waste collection services.
He noted that the additional resources would help improve efficiency and strengthen waste disposal operations across the state.
Gbadegesin attributed the current pressure on the waste management system to Lagos’ increasing population and rising waste generation, adding that the government was expanding infrastructure to meet the growing demand.
He disclosed that new waste disposal facilities were being developed, with ongoing projects at Olusosun, including transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities.
He added that Badagry would soon have a major material recovery facility aimed at recycling waste and recovering useful materials rather than serving as a dumpsite.
“It is a material recovery facility that will allow us to treat waste safely and extract valuable components for revenue generation,” he said.
The LAWMA boss said the flooding challenges at Olusosun would soon be addressed, revealing that another section of the site would be opened for truck operations by Tuesday.
He explained that only about 30 to 40 per cent of Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators had been affected, with many redirecting their activities to satellite sites in areas such as Epe, Ikorodu and Badagry.
Gbadegesin expressed optimism that residents would begin to notice improvements before the end of the week.
He urged residents to support waste management efforts by properly storing refuse, paying PSP operators promptly and avoiding dumping waste on roadsides during collection delays.
“Waste management is a collective exercise. We must all be involved,” he said.
Residents were also encouraged to report poor services through LAWMA’s customer service channels for quick intervention.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Damilola James, has called on residents to maintain regular environmental sanitation, especially during the rainy season.
Speaking during a community sanitation exercise in Vetho Ajara, Badagry, James said keeping the environment clean would help prevent blocked drainage channels and reduce flooding.
She urged residents to cooperate with government efforts aimed at enforcing sanitation standards across Lagos.
“It’s important for us to clean our environment, especially at this season where there is rain, to ensure that all the debris is packed even before the rain begins,” she said.
James encouraged communities to continue maintaining cleanliness beyond official sanitation days, describing environmental hygiene as a shared responsibility.
She said community sanitation activities help strengthen unity and encourage residents to take ownership of their surroundings.
The APC candidate commended environmental authorities for their efforts in enforcing sanitation regulations and expressed confidence that Lagos would continue to improve its cleanliness standards.
She added that she believed the state’s environmental progress would be sustained under future administrations.
(NAN)
LAWMA Promises Lagos Residents Better Waste Management
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