The Lagos State Government has emphatically recommitted to transitioning from a “collect and dump” waste management system to a sustainable circular economy, which aims to ensure a cleaner and more livable state for all residents.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, underscored this commitment during a live appearance on the popular TVC programme “Your View” on Wednesday. He urged all residents to adopt proper waste disposal as a lifestyle, emphasising its crucial role in fostering a sustainable environment.
Addressing recent public concerns, Mr. Wahab clarified that while Lagos is evolving as a megacity with a sustainable waste management process, some cosmopolitan cities globally experience localised odours, particularly around landfill sites. He acknowledged that this can occur at Lagos’ Olusosun (Ojota) and Solous III (Igando) landfill sites, but asserted that this is not indicative of a general “smelling Lagos.”
Mr. Wahab highlighted a significant step taken by the State Government, such as the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). With an estimated completion period of 16-17 months, this agreement is designed to drastically minimise the amount of waste reaching landfill sites, aligning Lagos with global best practices.
“This concession signing is about converting waste to wealth and waste to energy,” Mr. Wahab explained. “It means converting some of the organic waste, which is about 55 per cent, to compost fertiliser and converting plastics to waste bins. This mandates that everyone must start building a sustainable waste culture.”
He stressed the government’s resolve to enforce environmental laws and regulations. “The government must set the rules, draw the line, and enforce all its laws because a lot of people have a culture of impunity built over time,” he stated.
As an example of this commitment, he cited the recent swift arrest and prosecution of an individual who was observed illegally dumping waste from a luxury vehicle on the Alapere link bridge.
“Within 35-40 minutes, he was arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” Mr. Wahab confirmed, noting that the government has a whistleblower policy in place to combat such acts.
Despite the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) deploying approximately 250 operational trucks 24 hours a day to assist PSP operators who face challenges, Mr. Wahab lamented that some residents still choose to dispose of waste indiscriminately.
He attributed this partly to individuals bringing in careless habits from other areas, including open defecation, despite the government having built over 1,710 public toilets across the state.
“Lagos is not Eldorado yet, I will admit that,” Mr. Wahab conceded. “But Lagos was never at that beginning point. We have moved on. We are working 24 hours. We are not there yet. It’s a work in progress.”