Waste management has become a growing concern in Lagos, prompting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to declare what he described as a “small state of emergency” over challenges in waste collection and indiscriminate dumping across parts of the state.
Sanwo-Olu made the declaration during an inspection of the Olusosun dumpsite, where he assessed the situation and measures needed to improve waste disposal.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said there is an urgent need to increase the capacity of the Olusosun dumpsite from about 250 to 350 trucks daily, with plans to raise it further to between 350 and 450 trucks by increasing the number of tipping points.
The Governor also announced plans to activate additional waste reception facilities at Solu 3 in Alimosho, Ewu Elepe in Ikorodu, Oke Osho in Epe and Erikitte in Badagry.
He said the move would reduce the time spent by waste trucks at disposal sites and improve turnaround time for waste collection across Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government has ordered 160 new compactor trucks to boost waste collection from homes and roads.
He added that Private Sector Participants, PSPs, have agreed to review their operations, remove ineffective operators and acquire more trucks.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also appealed to residents to pay for waste collection services, stressing that improved waste management requires the cooperation and financial commitment of the government, service providers and residents.
He also urged residents to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse across the state.
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(Editor: Ada Ononye)
