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The Managing Director/CEO of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, has disclosed that plans are afoot to create Transfer Loading Stations (TLS) in all the Local Government Areas of the State for fast and smooth evacuation of waste around the metropolis.
Odumboni, spoke during a media parley held at the Authority’s Headquarters, Ijora-Olopa, Lagos, saying that the plan would enhance the operational capability of the agency for maximum efficiency.
He explained that the forum was organised to inform the public about its efforts in tackling the recent waste challenge facing the State, stating that steps are being taken to resolve the challenges through the ongoing day and night operations.
The Managing Director stated that the Authority, through the support of the State government, had completed the rehabilitation of landfills to shorten the turn-around time for refuse evacuation and disposal by waste collection trucks across Lagos.
“I can confirm to you that through the support of the State government, we have rehabilitated landfills to facilitate seamless waste evacuation and disposal. PSP trucks can now dump their wastes at landfills without any hindrance. The impact of this development will be felt in the metropolis within five to seven days”, he said.
The LAWMA boss said the Authority was working with PSP operators to resolve some of the issues affecting their operations, especially the price of diesel, which rose by over 100% within the current year, adding that most of their operational vehicles run on diesel.
Hinting that an increase in tarrif is imminent due to the present economic realities, Odumboni said the Authority would work with Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Community Development Committees (CDCs), as well as PSP operators, to review waste management charges in Lagos.
“The current economic reality in the country has made it necessary for price increase in waste management charges. To this effect, we will be increasing waste bills by 50%. We will also work with CDAs/CDCs and the PSPs to review the charges and ensure proper implementation of the new tariff”, he said.
He appealed to residents to procure bins to containerise their waste, noting that owning a bin would go a long way in tackling the problem of indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that it is mandatory for all tenements in the State to have a container for storage of their waste.
The General Manager reiterated the ban on cart pushing, adding that the surge in waste dumping on roads and other unauthorised locations resulted from patronage of cart pushers, who dump waste indiscriminately in the metropolis.
He revealed that the agency would soon establish a “bottle-to-bottle” recycling centre in partnership with a private company, so that interested organisations can source their raw materials from the plastic waste generated in Lagos, emphasising that the State would soon become the hub of recycling in West Africa.
Odumboni further stated that LAWMA plans to set up 30 recycling centres before the end of the year to boost the Lagos recycling initiative for economic benefits and mitigation of plastic pollution challenges.
Commenting, President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Mr. David Oriyomi, maintained that the escalating price of diesel negatively affected PSP operators but thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu for offering subsidy and stressed the need to review service charges in line with current economic reality.
