…arraigns 30 culprits

…calls for proper waste management among residents

The enforcement unit of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has launched a robust operation to dislodge scavengers and miscreants from illegal dumpsites across neighborhoods in the city, for a cleaner and
healthier environment.

In the past few days, the LAWMA enforcement team has been routinely patrolling neighborhoods across the state, notorious for illegal refuse dumping and the presence of scavengers, rummaging through waste piles, contributing to littering and unsightly landscapes and public spaces.

Commenting, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, expressed concern over residents’ increasing disregard for proper waste management practices, stressing the importance of prompt payment for
waste services, and the negative consequences of indiscriminate disposal.

He said, “The activities of scavengers and miscreants not only deface our cities but also pose serious health hazards to residents. It is disheartening to see some individuals engaging in indiscriminate disposal because they do not want to pay for waste services. This behavior undermines the efforts of LAWMA and hampers our progress towards maintaining a clean and healthy environment”.

During the enforcement operations, the LAWMA team dismantled shanties and illegal structures, apprehending individuals caught engaging in indiscriminate waste disposal, at various locations in Ipaja, Ikate-Surulere, and Ikeja, preparatory to the prosecution of nothing less than 30 persons caught.

The LAWMA boss stressed the need for residents to take responsibility for their waste and participate actively in proper waste management practices, urging them to utilise the services of PSP operators, to ensure scheduled collection of their waste, as well as take advantage of various waste recycling initiatives introduced by the authority.

“To achieve a cleaner and healthier city, it is crucial for residents to play their part in waste management. LAWMA, through PSP operators, is working relentlessly to ensure efficient waste collection services, and we urge residents to take advantage of these services. By properly sorting and disposing of waste, we can establish a better quality of life for everyone”, he stressed.

Odumboni stated further, that LAWMA had continued to embark on awareness campaigns alongside the enforcement operations, to educate residents on the importance of proper waste management, adding that the advocacy drive included community engagements, door-to-door visits, and the distribution of educational materials, for enlightenment on waste segregation and responsible disposal.

He called on residents to support the efforts of the Authority, by adhering to waste management guidelines, adding that, with concerted efforts of the agency and active participation of residents, the state would witness a significant improvement in waste management, resulting in a cleaner and healthier environment for all.

…expresses readiness for the festivities

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has expressed readiness to cater to the waste management needs of residents before, during, and after the Easter festivities.

The managing director/CEO, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, who gave the indication in a release, affirmed the agency’s commitment to maintaining a clean and healthy environment in Lagos, during and after the Easter celebrations.

In a statement released by Mrs. Kadiri Folashade, Director, Public Affairs, Odumboni said, to achieve this goal, the agency has stepped up its operations by adding more fleets across all districts in the state, adding that PSP operators had also been directed to work efficiently in their designated areas irrespective of assigned days, with the agency providing backup services to bridge any gap.

“We want to assure residents that LAWMA has made adequate arrangements by adding more trucks across all the districts to ensure that this year’s Easter celebration was observed in an environmentally friendly atmosphere. PSP operators have also been mandated to ensure prompt evacuation of waste generated by tenements, during and after the festive period”, Odumboni said.

He implored the populace to avoid acts that could pollute the environment, and advised motorists to drive with caution, considering the sanitation workers (street sweepers) and other service providers discharging their duties during the period.

While wishing Lagosians a clean Easter celebration, the LAWMA boss urged residents to bag their waste, patronise assigned PSP operators, and promptly pay their waste management bills.

For waste management-related issues in your area, call LAWMA toll-free numbers 07080601020 and 617.

Rashidat Olushola Okunlade Writes

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has set 1st April 2023, as commencement date for placement of abatement notices on homes without waste bins across the state, in a move aimed at ensuring proper waste
management and environmental hygiene in Lagos State.

Commenting on the development, Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Ibrahim Odumboni, noted the importance of waste bins in homes for promoting a clean and healthy environment, adding that bins provided a designated
space for domestic waste disposal, helping to prevent littering and indiscriminate dumping of refuse on streets.

He said, “Proper waste management is a key component of maintaining a clean and healthy environment. Waste bins provide a designated location for waste disposal, and this helps to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain a hygienic environment”.

He also warned that the enforcement of the use of waste bins by tenements across the state would begin on 1st June 2023, stressing that, the agency has set up a task force responsible for ensuring compliance in all homes.

“We have set up a task force that will be responsible for enforcing the use of waste bins across the state. The task force will be working closely with community leaders, stakeholders, and other relevant agencies to ensure compliance with the policy,” he emphasised.

Odumboni urged residents to embrace the use of waste bins and make it a habit to dispose of their waste responsibly, calling on landlords and property owners to provide waste bins for their properties and ensure they are regularly emptied and maintained.

In a related development, LAWMA has organised an orientation programme for its enforcement and abatement notice teams, on standard rules and proper conduct while engaging tenements on the issue of procurement of
smart waste bins, for their homes.

The Executive Director of Finance, Kunle Adebiyi, who represented the MD/CEO of LAWMA, at the event, emphasised the importance of the authority’s Adopt-a-Bin project, meant to curb waste migration, indiscriminate dumping, and enhance waste recycling while helping to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfills.

On his own part, LAWMA’s chief technical officer, Dr. Olorunwa Tijani, who spoke on the topic, “Bin Placement and Evacuation”, advised tenements to place their waste bins at strategic places to make them accessible for seamless evacuation by assigned PSP operators.

Dr. Essien Nsuabia, Assistant General Manager, Sustainability and Partnership, who moderated the training, spoke on “Overview and Policies on Adopt-a-Bin”, emphasised that the initiative was aimed at ensuring effective waste containerisation in homes, offices, and other facilities.

Akin Alabi of WasteCare Solutions, explained that the smart bins could be purchased online through the website, www.buylawmabin.com, adding that deliveries would take three working days, once the payment was
confirmed.

Other facilitators at the orientation program included the head Legal Services, Uthman Rilwan; the head of LAWMA Academy, Elizabeth Ademola; the head of Recycling, Jirinsola Okunbanjo, and the head of Corporate
Affairs, Olaniyan Aramide. Senior LAWMA officials were also in attendance.