Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the appointment of Akinyemi as the Acting Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), replacing Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin amid growing concerns over the accumulation of refuse across the state.
The appointment was announced on Wednesday by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during an inspection of the upgraded Solous II dumpsite in Igando, Lagos.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina.
Wahab also announced the appointment of Dr Tijani Olorunwa as the Acting Executive Director of Operations, while Kunle Adebiyi retained his position as Executive Director of Finance.
The leadership changes come amid increasing pressure on the state government to address persistent waste management challenges, particularly the growing heaps of refuse reported in several communities across Lagos.
In response to the situation, the Sanwo-Olu administration has intensified efforts to improve waste collection, evacuation and disposal across the state.
The government had earlier disclosed that the governor directed an immediate expansion of waste evacuation operations, instructing relevant agencies and service providers to work round the clock to clear accumulated refuse.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, LAWMA, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and other environmental agencies were also directed to strengthen their operations.
The state government disclosed that Lagos generates approximately 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, making it one of the cities with the highest waste generation levels on the African continent.
As part of measures to address the challenge, the government upgraded the Solous II dumpsite in Igando to accommodate an average of 100 waste evacuation trucks daily.
According to Wahab, reopening the facility would reduce the pressure on the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, which has reached its operational capacity.
He explained that the decision followed consultations with waste management operators and other stakeholders, who identified the reopening of Solous II as an immediate solution to the state’s waste disposal challenges.
The commissioner noted that the facility was strategically located to serve Lagos West, the state’s largest waste management zone, covering areas such as Alimosho, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Mushin, Badagry, Ikeja, Ojo and Apapa.
He added that the government was also considering alternative waste disposal sites in Badagry and Epe to expand the state’s waste management capacity.
Wahab urged Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators to improve their services and ensure regular and timely collection of refuse from residents.
He stressed that residents who pay for waste collection services deserve efficient service delivery and should not be left to contend with accumulated refuse in their neighbourhoods.
The commissioner also appealed to community stakeholders, particularly members of the Awori community, to support the initiative and take ownership of the upgraded dumpsite.
Meanwhile, the National President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Dr Olugbenga Adebola, commended the Lagos State Government for rehabilitating the Solous II facility.
Adebola disclosed that the association had previously submitted proposals to the government on how to address the state’s waste disposal challenges, expressing satisfaction that some of its recommendations had been adopted.
He assured the government that members of the association would work with relevant authorities to ensure the facility operates effectively and becomes a model dumpsite.
He also called on PSP operators, particularly those serving Lagos West, to improve their efficiency and intensify refuse collection following the reopening of the facility.
The state government is expected to sustain its interventions as it seeks to address the growing waste management challenges and improve environmental sanitation across Lagos.
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