Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is proposing a 50 per cent tariff review, starting from October 1.

The Managing Director, Ibrahim Odumboni, said the pricing review would, however, be subject to peculiar circumstances, after a review with critical stakeholders.

He said the rising cost of diesel from the 2022 first quarter had posed huge challenges for operators.

“Of the key challenges facing the PSP operators, the first is the rising cost of operation, the cost of overheads, majorly diesel and spare parts for their trucks. This is why we are in the process of extensive and consultative pricing review for PSP services in homes knowing well that we are trying to recognise the economic trend in Nigeria, but also trying to ensure that we are not introducing any change that will automatically disenfranchise people and increase the waste menace in our immediate society,” he noted.

Odumboni addressed reporters on activities of the agency from January to August.

He said 83 persons were convicted and jailed, over 1,200 penalised to sweep and over 3,000 fined for offences relating to indiscriminate disposal of waste in the last one year.

This, he said, was necessary to deter the bad culture of waste management.

The managing director said truck pushers are guilty of dumping waste in canals and drainages, thereby blocking the drainages and causing flooding.

He, however, said the enforcement team had seized over 1,400 carts in the last two months ”to ensure a more formal, agreeable and consistent system of waste is introduced in our society.”

He added: “Eighty-three people were jailed last year for waste related offences. Over 1,200 did community services – they joined our sweepers to sweep, and over 3,000 were fined. But the most important thing for us is to ensure we do the right thing.

“For people out there, who continue to migrate and dump waste indiscriminately, any time you are caught, you will be held responsible and face the wrath of the law.

“Having extended hands of fellowship to cart pushers on how they can work with the agency to formalise their operations, the agency will not take it lightly with those who kick against the hand of fellowship and rules of engagement. There will be zero tolerance for anyone who does not have an identity, who poses security threats to the state, who refuses to follow the law and puts the lives of Lagosians in danger. So we will continue in our operations to get rid of cart pushers in Lagos.”

Odumboni said the agency had begun the process of using a dual fuel system (50 per cent diesel and 50 per cent gas) for trucks as part of efforts to meet up with changing demands, such as rising cost of diesel and clean energy.

”Two trucks have been converted to dual fuel system,” he added.

He said to keep the operators afloat, the government would make subsidy arrangements for operators.

The Chairman of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, David Oriyomi, assured Lagosians that with the government’s support, efforts would be harmonised to address the prevailing challenges, particularly those relating to exchange rate and rising diesel price, which had informed high cost of operation.

An Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) member, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi, yesterday called for confederalism to foster national unity and enhance healthy competition among the component units.

He said the pre-existing six regions should form the component units under the confederalism arrangement.

”Nigeria will now become the United Regions of Nigeria,” Adegbuyi, a lawyer and member of the 2014 National Conference, told reporters in Lagos.

The former Postmaster-General believed the success of confederalism in the United Arab Emirates should encourage Nigeria to adopt the practice.

He said the country was ripe for a reset, urging leaders, politicians and statesmen to rise to the challenge so that their names could be written in gold.

Adegbuyi said parliamentary system would foster good governance, promote public accountability and reduce corruption.

He said statistics showed that the best run democracies in the world were the ones that adopted cabinet system, while corruption was associated with the practice of presidential system in the least developed 50 countries.

Adegbuyi disagreed with those nursing the fear of disintegration, if confederalism is adopted, pointing out that they are ill-informed about its advantages.

He said the reality of big market, economic gains, autonomy and regional security would compel the regions to subscribe to national unity in diversity.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari, who meant well for the country, could not achieve his aspirations for Nigeria because the system was faulty.

Adegbuyi described Buhari as a victim of systemic failure, noting that his successors might face the same challenge if the system of government was not resolved.

He said if the current system persists, it may be difficult for the next president to make any impact.

Adegbuyi recalled that tragedy hit Nigeria when soldiers sacked legitimate authorities and foisted on the country a strange unitary system through Decree 34 of 1966.

He lamented that while the coup plotters and first set of military rulers had good intentions, their lack of knowledge about civil administration became an obstacle.

Adegbuyi said unless Nigerians embraced political reforms, the country might remain static.

He urged patriotic Nigerians pushing for restructuring to restrategise and refocus their communication strategies in a way that would not make other Nigerians to view their crusade with hostility.

The lawyer-activist said the emphasis should be the push for political reforms that were broad, encompassing and capable of bringing about a fundamental systemic change.

Adegbuyi said when people are nostalgic about the Awolowo, Bello and Zik/Okpara days, they are simply calling for genuine federalism and regional autonomy.

He said while the previous national conferences made genuine recommendations along the path of federalism, successive administrations failed to implement the report.

He said Nigerians can pardon Buhari for not implementing the 2014 conference report, recalling that the president publicly declared that he never believed in the endeavour.

Adegbuyi said the blame for the non-implementation of the report should go to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who developed cold feet before vacating power.

Adegbuyi lamented that the various incremental constitution amendments have failed to reposition the country and advance the cause of federalism.

He said:”Incremental constitution amendments of 1999 Constitution cannot take Nigeria to a prosperous future. It is a major challenge that is clear to the legislators.”

Adegbuyi described the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as the answer in 2023.

He hailed Northern governors and others who support power shift to the South.

Adegbuyi urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard-bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to realise the potential resistance to succession of another Northerner to President Buhari after next year’s election.

He added:”Atiku should have risen above partisan politics to be a statesman by not contesting the 2023 election. If he had done so, a roadmap to national unity would have been created.”

The Old Grammarians’ Society (OGS) of the CMS Grammar School, Lagos has joined millions of people all over the world to celebrate Doyen of Accountancy in Nigeria, Pa Akintola Williams on his 103rd birthday.

Williams, who was born on August 9, 1919, attended the prestigious CMS Grammar School for his secondary education.

Describing the celebrant as a ‘treasure’ of the OGS, the Publicity Secretary of the Society, Otunba ‘Dare Odufowokan, said members of the OGS all over the world regularly celebrate the worthy and exemplary life of Pa Akintola Williams.

Read Also:Buhari, Obi celebrate foremost Accountant Akintola Williams at 103

“He is the oldest Grammarian around today and we are proud of him. Not only had he lived long, he had also lived well with a lot of exemplary feats to his name. The Society and all it’s members celebrate him today and always,” he said.

Pa Akintola Williams, the foremost Chartered Accountant in Nigeria, is also the first Chartered Accountant to qualify from Africa.

He is the first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and one of the founding fathers of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

In recognition of the numerous giant strides he has made in his chosen profession and towards the growth of the country, he is the recipient of several honours and awards from within and outside the country

The Young Progressives Party (YPP) has filed a petition before the Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the State High Court, Oke-Fia, Osogbo seeking cancellation of the 2022 Osun State Governorship Election for non-compliance with the 2022 Electoral Act.

A copy of the petition dated August 5, filed by the counsel for the party, Enitan Olukayode, joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke in the suit.

A certified true copy, which was received by the secretary of the tribunal, stated that INEC failed and neglected to give 360 days’ notice before the date appointed for the election, which is contrary to the Electoral Act, 2022.