By Moninuola Sulaiman

LAWMA Academy, the educational arm of Lagos Waste Management Authority, has organised a four-week summer school, for children aged 8 to 12, with the aim of teaching the younger generation the fundamentals of effective
waste management.

The four-week programme began on 31st July 31, 2023,  at the Authority’s headquarters, Ijora-Olopa.

Commenting on the program, the managing director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, noted that the summer school was organised to educate the younger generation, on the need to imbibe the culture of proper waste management, to teach arts and crafts, upcycling, as well as expose them to indoor and outdoor sports, field trips, among other activities.

He said, “The Summer School programme is designed to educate children from a tender age on the concept of waste management and environmental sanitation, raising ambassadors for a cleaner and healthier environment with seasoned facilitators in a conducive learning environment. This will serve to train youngsters as conscientious environmental activists while also providing other enjoyable learning opportunities.”

Dr. Gbadegesin advised parents and guardians to always take advantage of the extended school holiday to enroll their children and wards in summer school, adding that those who could not participate physically could join online.

The Academy’s team lead, Mrs. Elizabeth Ademola, noted that it was the third edition of the programme, adding that the summer school was designed to simplify the concept of waste and environmental management for children, to ensure that each child had sufficient and holistic knowledge of environmental sustainability practices.

Since its inception, hundreds of pupils in the state have benefited from the LAWMA Academy’s summer school, acquiring essential waste management and environmental knowledge in the process.

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has organised a free medical screening, for over 1000 sanitation workers (street sweepers) at the Authority’s headquarters, Ijora Olopa.

Speaking at the event, the Acting Managing Director of LAWMA, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, noted that the exercise was a testament to the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, to prioritise the wellness of LAWMA sweepers.

He said, “Your well-being is our priority. Whatever happens to your health, will affect us in one way or the other. Therefore, we don’t want any ill health to befall you. Today, your blood pressure, sugar level, urine, and eye and hepatitis will be checked for proper diagnosis. The aim of this is to manage the health of our workers and detect early
health issues.

Our sweepers are our heroes, we need to take good care of them. We have over 16,000 of them who keep Lagos clean every day. Our aim is to ensure we capture all of them in this screening exercise and there will be follow-ups. Some will be administered for consultation, some will be for referral, and some will be given medications. All of these are to ensure their health is properly managed. We appreciate the Governor for his consistent support”.

The Medical Director of LAWMA, Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe Okoh, noted that the medical screening exercise was a demonstration of the state’s commitment to the welfare of LAWMA’s workforce, adding that early detection of
diseases would go a long way in helping to manage the health of sweepers who work tirelessly.

One of the beneficiaries, Nafisat Rahman, appreciated the state government for the medical checks.  In her words: “We do spend a lot on hospital bills, but with this kind of initiative, it will reduce it and we will be more aware of our health status. I want them to continue with this kind of exercise”, she said.

Another beneficiary, Godwin Imeh, said the medical screening exercise was a nice initiative. He encouraged the Authority to continue to prioritise the welfare of sweepers.

In attendance at the event were members of LAWMA’s management staff.

The medical outreach for LAWMA’s sanitation workers is a continuous exercise, with sweepers in other districts in the state set to benefit from the health screening.

…sentenced to 144 hours of community service

In a stern reminder of the importance of responsible waste management, a woman has been apprehended by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) enforcement team, for illegally emptying her waste bin into a drainage channel.

The arrested woman, Rukayat Oderinde of number 17, Hassan Ogumola Street, Ahmadiyya, Lagos, was caught red-handed on camera while she was disposing of her household waste directly into the drainage channel, an act strictly prohibited under existing waste management regulations in the state, as they posed serious threats to the overall cleanliness and functionality of the drainage system.

Responding to this, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, said that improper waste disposal, particularly through drainage channels, could lead to clogged drains, which in turn caused flooding during heavy rains, adding that this not only disrupted daily life but also jeopardised the safety and health of the community.

“Blockages in drainage channels can result in stagnant water, becoming breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes and other harmful pests. I commend the LAWMA enforcement team who wasted no time in apprehending the woman. This emphasises our commitment to maintaining a clean and healthy environment for all residents.

The woman was arrested and sentenced to 144 hours of community service by the court, for violating waste management regulations. This incident serves as a stark reminder to residents that improper waste disposal will not be tolerated and will be met with strict enforcement”, he said.

The environmental offender is expected to commence her 8 hours per day community service from Ahmadiyya to Salolo route, for the next 18 days, cleaning the environment.

Odumboni reminded residents about the need to engage in proper methods of waste disposal and the potential consequences of non-compliance, urging them to use designated waste bins and containers for their household waste.

He implored the populace to patronise assigned PSP operators whose duty is to ensure seamless disposal of waste generated by tenements, adding that residents should call LAWMA toll-free numbers 07080601020 and 617, for any environmental infractions observed in their area.