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  • Lagos restores waste evacuation by PSP operators

    Lagos State government has directed the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAM), otherwise known as PSP operators, to resume door-to-door evacuation of waste.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government gave the directive during a meeting with the waste managers yesterday in Lagos.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, said in a statement that the PSP operators should go back to their areas of operation and restore the door-to-door evacuation of waste.

    Bello said the directive was in making good the government’s promise to achieve a cleaner and healthier environment.

    He said the government had constituted a committee, headed by him, to review the situation and design template for the restoration of the services of PSP operators.

    “This move is to reassure you that we are set on a new beginning and it is to consolidate what we have achieved. Everybody must work together to restore the glory of Lagos,” the SSG said.

    He said the government had appointed Mr Ola Oresanya, former General Manager of LAWMA, as a consultant to work with the state to fashion out a format for the restoration of door-to-door waste collection.

    Bello urged the PSP operators to be ready for work and set aside any misgivings, adding that he was in touch with the leadership of AWAM, who had assured him of their cooperation.

    The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, urged stakeholders to recognise the need to clear the backlog of waste in the metropolis, while a holistic solution was being worked out simultaneously.

    “Being aware that PSP operators were in business to make profit and sustain employment, government therefore enjoins residents to pay for waste collection by the PSP operators,” Durosinmi-Etti said.

    The Chairman of AWAM, Mr Oladipo Egbeyemi, hailed the government for the development.

    He advocated thorough situation review and provision of enabling environment for unhindered performance by members of the association.

     

  • Refuse: Lagos Assembly orders PSP operators back to work

    …Disowns Visionscape

     

    Lagos State House of Assembly has ordered the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state to call on the Private Sector Partnership (PSP) operators in their areas to go back to refuse packing job with immediate effect.

    Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa gave this directive Thursday at plenary directing the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to invite the Commissioner for the Environment, Hon. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti to appear before the House on the matter next week.

    Read Also:Tanker Fire: Lagos Assembly to review traffic law

    The directive followed matter of urgent public importance raised by Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 1) who complained of heaps of refuse scattered all over the state.

    Yishawu had said that there were several heaps of refuse on Lagos roads, adding that they were not like before “because some PSP are now working and the state government has bought some trucks.”

    He said: “Some refuse are taken to Epe and Ikorodu but it is a bit far now as 300 instead of 800 trucks now dispose refuse.

    “We used to dump the refuse in Olusosun, but the place was gutted by fire. We can give the place to private companies.

    “The sanitary land fill in Epe is not being utilised and the transfer loading stations too are not working effectively and the turnaround time of packing the refuse is not being utilised.

    “It is not all the PSP operators that are working. May be we can recall the PSP Operators and reopen Olusosun and the land fill sites should be operated properly.”

    Obasa emphasised that the Lagos State Government does not know about Visionscape.

    He pointed out that there are three arms of government including legislative, executive and judiciary, and that the state government ought to have consulted the House on Visionscape before they started operation.

    “We insist that we don’t know anything about Visionscape because we were not consulted before they started work.

    “We once wrote the Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Akinyemi Ashade not to pay Visionscape again and he would return any money he paid to them after our instruction to the coffers of the state government. We will go to that, when the time comes, but we have to do the needful now.

    “We are calling on the 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs in the state to have meetings with the PSP operators to go back to work and they should start paying them and make the residents to start paying the operators. We have to avoid epidemics and be proactive,” he said.

    The Speaker also warned those stopping people from dumping refuse at the dumpsites to desist from doing so, adding that he saw a lot of refuse trucks in a bad state and that some of them have been abandoned.

    He insisted that the House ought to have approved the new refuse disposal policy of the state government before Visionscape started work.

    “We are inviting the Commissioner for the Environment to come and report to us within one week. The Clerk should write all the local councils in the state to do the needful and the Commissioner for the Environment should work on this and report to us in a week,” he said.

    The Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade from Ikorodu Constituency 1 revealed that heaps of refuse are worse in his area, and that for the state to have good sanitation,  a law on environmental sanitation was passed in Lagos State, but that it seemed it was not properly done after that.

    “The refuse on the road and on the streets are hazardous to the people. Flies from the refuse mix with the food people are eating.

    “We can invite the people in the Ministry of the Environment to know their challenges. This has become an eyesore in Lagos State. We should invite the people in charge,” he said.

    Also speaking, Hon. Bisi Yusuff from Alimosho Constituency 1 revealed that eight people died in Igando, where they dump refuse in his area.

    Yusuff stressed that Visionscape does not know the job, and that they did not even allow PSP operators to help the people.

    “There are big rats on the roads now and they could even make a vehicle to stumble.

    “We should look at it critically. They are not picking any refuse in the state. It is an important matter that should be handled urgently,” he said.

    All the lawmakers who contributed to the debate agreed with the observations and submissions of their colleagues.

  • Govt to resolve CLI, PSP operators feud

    The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria AWAM, better known as PSP Waste Operators, has accused the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), of sabotaging their efforts to rid the state of refuse.

    Its chairman, Oladipo Egbeyemi, in a statement, accused CLI of advising residents, community and religious leaders to stop paying PSP Operators for clearing their wastes.

    It also accused the agency of threatening that only operators contracted by Visionscape would be considered to be legally operating.

    The group claimed that CLI, through its action, was undermining the efforts of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in finding a lasting solution to the waste management crisis in the state.

    “You will recall that in a widely publicised statement following our protest to Tinubu’s residence on April 27, Asiwaju Tinubu promised to resolve it. This was followed by a briefing by the Ministry of Environment on May 2, where the government said that the PSP Operators will resume the responsibility of residential waste collection,” Egbeyemi said.

    Special Adviser to the governor on the Environment, Babatunde Hunpe said the ministry would resolve the matter.

     

  • Visionscape, PSP operators agree to work together

    After months of negotiations, good reasoning prevailed at the weekend as the Private Sector Participants (PSPs) and Visionscape Sanitation Solutions (VSS) agreed to work together in waste management in Lagos State.

    The disagreement started when the government introduced the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).

    Under the new arrangement, the PSPs, now known as waste collection operators (WCO), agreed to resume residential waste collection while Visionscape’s primary concern would be infrastructural development.

    This resolution became necessary as the government and other stakeholders were determined to avoid similar environmental disasters, such as as the Olusosun fire outbreak of a few weeks ago.

    The new arrangement expands the scope of Visionscape’s contract, which includes the construction of more transfer loading stations, biomass plants, recycling facilities, waste-to-energy plants, leachate and wastewater treatment schemes, dumpsite and landfill remediation and more.

    VSS Chief Executive Officer, John Irvine in a chat shortly after the agreement signing, said: “Sometimes you must compromise for the sake of the common good. We listened to  stakeholders, and our intentions were always to be part of a community. Both sides understand each other’s aspirations, and have chosen to focus on our commonalities, put the controversy behind us and move forward collectively as a community. We will continue to support our partner operators with equipment and capacity upgrade for better collection and carry out interventions required to fill service gaps.”

    The Special Adviser to the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on CLI, Adebola Shabi, said under the deal, both groups would ensure that they work for the success of the CLI.

    According to Shabi, the government believes that small businesses are the engine of economic growth and should be encouraged at all levels.

    “Beyond the CLI goals of fostering a cleaner environment for Lagosians, we are also finding opportunities to provide an infrastructure and awareness initiatives that will enable an effective waste management system. Visionscape Sanitation Solutions and the PSPs are an inspiration to all and we look forward to a successful working relationship,” Shabi said.

    Visionscape has concessioned three transfer loading stations, three vehicle-maintenance depots and the 88-hectare of land in Epe being constructed as the first engineered landfill in West Africa.

    While these are improvements in the waste facilities in the state, experts say it is only the beginning when compared with New York City.

  • PSP operators to Ambode: bring waste managers together

    THE Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWMAN) have urged Governor Akinw unmi Ambode to bring operators, including Visionscape Sanitation Solution, together to fashion out the best way to deal with waste.

    The operators suggested a six-point agenda to help the sanitary condition of the state. It includes waste being tackled at the point of generation by enforcing the government’s policy of door-to-door collection; ensuring that dumpsites are accessible, especially during the rains; massive advocacy and enlightenment programmes for the people and enforcement of sanitation practices of bagging and containerisation of wastes.

    Others are: sustainable enforcement for non-compliance to house-to-house disposal and non-payment as well as the need for  stakeholders to avoid creating division in waste management.

    “We are proud of being responsible for making Lagos a clean state, but we are saddened to see wastes return to our beloved city. Besides, we are not ready to yield to official blackmail but rather, to adhere strictly to continue work, despite the air of uncertainty that surrounded this sector in the past two years, especially, the state of dumpsites,” Egbeyemi said.

    Similarly, a member of the rival group, under the aegis of Concerned Waste Collectors (CWC), Mrs. Bamidele Hussein, while praising Ambode for allowing her group to stay, claimed that it’s their love for the state that made them to resume activities and not the desire to make money.

    Responding to AWMAN’s allegation, she accused the CWC of betraying the struggle for better business climate, Mrs Hussein said the former were not being considerate.

    “Yes, all of us went to court at the beginning of this struggle. But having realised that we want to jeopardise the health of our people by not collecting wastes, and for the fact the government has agreed with some of our terms, the most responsible thing is to go back to work, which our partners refused to do,” she said.

  • Lagos, PSP operators, Visionscape resolve differences

    Lagos, PSP operators, Visionscape resolve differences

    The differences which gave rise to emergence of refuse across Lagos State over the implementation of a new waste management policy encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative have been resolved, with all the key players agreeing to sheath their sword and collaborate in order to ensure cleaner, prosperous and healthier environment in the state.

    The resolve to collaborate was reached on Thursday at a meeting held between officials of the Lagos State Government, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions and Waste Collection Operators (WCOs), also known as Private Sector Participant (PSP) Operators.

    Speaking at the meeting, the State’s Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti said that government was interested in easing challenges being experienced in Waste Management at present by creating synergy between Visionscape and the WCOs in their spheres of operation, stressing that resolving the challenge in a mutually beneficial manner was the best approach.

    “Government more than ever believes in this partnership and that is why it has not only provided a facility of up to N2.5b with State Government guarantee, which PSP Operators could access to upscale their operations, but has also opened another channel through the Employment Trust Fund for loan facilities at reasonable interest of not more than 12% per annum”, he said.

    The Environment Commissioner stated that the Lagos State Government was determined to remove all bottlenecks hindering seamless waste disposal operations, adding that it was making the bold move of targeting a turn-around time of thirty minutes at the dumpsites by encouraging concerned stakeholders to create additional platform at the sites.

    He emphasized that no efforts would be spared to return the dump sites to sanity by reducing the menace of indiscriminately parked trucks and scavengers, both of which add to the loss of time at the dump sites.

    On his part, Visionscape’s Chief Executive Officer, John Irvine, applauded the new found understanding between his company and the Waste Collection Operators and stated that challenges being experienced in domestic waste management in Lagos State had to do with the fact that the domestic waste operator was just in its first cycle of operation, meaning that it must contend with some teething problems.

    His words: “It is not unusual to face this kind of problems especially in the first cycle of operations. It takes some time to build the superstructures and to ameliorate the present hiccups; we are buying locally and taking steps to have waste container bins manufactured locally.”

    Speaking on behalf of the WCOs, Kasumu Afis Olasehinde reiterated their commitment to the success of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative and pledged to roll out more trucks to rid Lagos of Wastes’ black spots.

    “To show our total commitment to a cleaner, healthier and safer Lagos, we have not only resolved to work with the Government of Lagos State and the domestic waste operators as partners, we have also resolved to commence free Operations every Thursdays to mop up black spots in our respective areas” he said.

    It was agreed at the meeting that a seamless process should be put in place on how Visionscape and the PSPs will partner on the door-to-door collection of waste from March 1.

    It was also agreed that Visionscape would take the PSPs on a tour of the Epe Landfill, the first engineered landfill in West Africa.

    The meeting also agreed to set up a committee comprising all the stakeholders to ensure smooth operation of the project.

    Read Also: Saboteurs behind Lagos refuse, says Cleaner Lagos

  • Two factors hinder PSP operators—ASWAN Chairman

    Two factors hinder PSP operators—ASWAN Chairman

    In a swift reaction to the story published on this page on November 5th, entitled, ‘ PSP charge consumers for services not rendered’ the Private Sector Participants[PSP] debunked the claims that PSP charge for services not rendered, rather they claimed that their job was being hindered because of unpaid consumer bills and inaccessibility of refuse dump sites.

    “Due to the difficulties our drivers face in dumping refuse at the dump sites they spend hours and sometimes days before they can be attended to and the government public announcement of its intentions to engage another operator in the state waste management created uncertainty which discouraged many consumers from paying their LAWMA bills” explained Mr. Bode Coker, the Chairman, National Association of Waste Management [ASWAN] Lagos, Chapter.

    However, the management of the refuse dump sites promptly denied the charge, insisting that the problems and delays PSP operators encounter at the dump site were of their own making, which is as the result of poor condition of the trucks, insufficient diesel and the drivers playing AWOL.

    They also said that in as much as they do not want to be drawn into the issue, “I think the PSP stopped picking consumers garbage because consumers were no longer forth coming with their bills because of the state government’s announcement of contracting another organisation to manage the waste. Our dump site should not be blamed if they are not discharging their duties,” countered General Manager, West Africa Energy, the private operator in charge of Oko-Filling dump site at Igando, Alimosho LGA, Afolasade Ola.

    In an interview last week with Mr. Bode Coker in his Mushin, Lagos office, he said that consumers cannot claim they pay for services not rendered as the waste operators work for two months before charging anybody. “We issue our bills after two months of rendering services,” he claimed.

    Continuing, he said, “Many consumers are owing us and we need money to run our business. The government is owing commercial waste operators five months wages and domestic consumers are owing us too. The two sources of income are virtually shut, so how do you expect us to continue discharging our duties effectively?” he questioned.

    Speaking in his Lagos office, the ASWAN Chairman said that although the prices of everything have gone up. For example diesel, we are still charging the same rate with which we started four years ago.

    “Consumers were paying before this year and PSP operators were regularly picking waste bins but since the state government’s announcement in January that it was engaging the services of another company to manage the waste, people stopped paying, especially those that were not  paying regularly before,” lamented Coker.

    Appealing to the state government, he said they need to make another public statement, encouraging the public to still pay their LAWMA bills as their proposed arrangement has not taken off and the PSP is still in charge of evacuating waste in the state.

    On refuse dump sites, Coker said that there was need for government’s intervention as the sites were lacking, as well as equipment to tackle the heap of refuse, resulting in the truck drivers spending hours and in some cases days before they are able to tip the waste from their vehicles.

    Clarifying, the Chairman of ASWAN said that previously before January this year, drivers spent about 30 minutes at dump sites but because of poor road network at the dump sites and lack of excavators and bull dozers to clear and compact the waste, the refuse block available route to waste platforms making it very difficult for the drivers to get to the point of where they can discharge the refuse.

    “Just two weeks ago, members of the association marched to Government House concerning this issue. We have repeatedly appealed to the government to intervene in the management of the dump site as we cannot pick refuse if there is no place to dump it.”

    Still speaking, the embattled Chairman said, “previously, when government had not handed the site to private operators, we were not paying to dump the waste but now they charge N2,000 for each dump and for quick services one is made to pay N4,000 for each dump of refuse.”

    Providing credence to the chairman’s statement, a consultant to the association, Mr Olalekan Owojori, added: “We have appealed and even written to the government but they said they are not ready to put more money into the dump sites as the state is creating a sanitary land fill which will be ready in two years time. So, between now and then, where should we dump refuse?” queried Owojori.

    There are over four refuse dump sites in the state but the two major ones are the Igando site and the Olusosu Ojota site managed by Revive Enterprises.

    A visit to the sites reveals heaps and heaps of refuse. The strong smell of stench even miles from the site reveals that one is approaching a dump site. At the Oko-Filling site at Igando, over 20 vehicles were on queue waiting for their turns to discharge refuse.

    Interviews with the drivers reveals they have been in the queue for upward of six hours. The dump site which hitherto had two roads, exit and entrance has only one functional steep road leading to the platform where waste is discharged and which is far into the dump site.

    As at the time this reporter visited last week, only one caterpillar was seen working while about three that needed repairs or are supposed to be discarded were parked.

    The drivers interviewed complained of terrible difficulties and frustrations they encounter at the dump sites. They said before this year, there were two roads leading to the inner platform making vehicle movements easier. They also claimed that most of the time,  only one caterpillar is available, which often breaks down after every two hours work in the dump site, resulting in drivers spending hours and days in the dump sites.

    Ola said that the dump site was already filled up and will be closed down by the government very soon.

    On the issue of just one road into the dump site, which obviously was delaying the drivers, she exonerated the managing company, stressing that the company met only one road in the dump site when they took over the management in April this year.

    “We tried to maintain that road but the rain has been a big challenge,” explained Afolasade Ola.

    On how many caterpillars are supposed to work in a big dump site like the Igando one, she explained that “it depends on the number of platforms in a site and how far into the site the platforms are located; at least a minimum of one bull dozer and maximum of two.”

    Speaking further, she noted that though the Igando dump site has one platform, it still has three bull dozers. However, the reporter countered that, stressing that she saw only one working. Still, she maintained that a bull dozer and an excavator were working.

    On what consumers should henceforth expect from PSP operators, Coker enthusiastically said they were ready to render their services to consumers that are up to date with paying their bills while appealing to the government to intervene in the dump sites.

  • Ambode: PSP operators to benefit from sanitation policy

    Ambode: PSP operators to benefit from sanitation policy

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday signed the Environmental Management and Protection Bill into law, assuring Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators and other stakeholders they will be carried along.

    Ambode, who spoke at the Lagos House after the signing, said it was targeted at securing public health safety of residents, especially children.

    He said it was disconcerting to see that dysentery and other pandemics were on the rise.

    “While charting a new direction, it became quickly apparent that government would struggle to bear the cost of the wholesale changes while meeting its other obligations.

    “It was necessary to make investor friendly laws that attract the type of capital we need to further our development agenda and achieve our sustainability goals.

    “We believe it is worth the risk involved in changing the legislative framework if the reward is a healthier and cleaner Lagos for our children – our future,” the governor said.

    Ambode said under the Cleaner Lagos Initiative, the commercial sector would be serviced by licensed waste management operators.

    An environmental consortium will provide waste collection, processing and disposal services for residential property through a long term concession.

    The governor said  the consortium would deploy a large multi-dimensional fleet of over 20 landfill and transfer loading station management vehicles, 590 new rear-end loader compactors, 140 operational vehicles and close to 900,000 bins to be electronically tracked and monitored by our new unit PUMAU (Public Utilities Monitoring Assurance Unit) under the Ministry of Environment.

    “Everyone from cart pushers to existing PSPs and casual workers at the dump sites have been considered in the plan and will be accommodated within the new environmental regime.

    “In addition, we are extending opportunities to everyone along the value chain by working to create vocational training in the related areas through LASTVEB,” he said.

    Giving details of the law, the governor said sanitation would now be a daily affair.

    He announced an annual Public Utility Levy (PUL) to replace service fees previously paid to waste management authorities.L

  • Lagos decries residents’ non-patronage of PSP operators

    Lagos State Government has frowned at residents’ non-patronage of Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators for their waste disposal.

    Commissioner for the Environment Dr Babatunde Adejare expressed the government’s displeasure at the monthly meeting of the Community Development Committees (CDCs) and Neighbourhood Watch (NW), organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs in Ikeja last Friday.

    Adejare urged the CDCs to educate residents to patronise the PSP and desist from dumping refuse in drainage channels and patronising cart pushers.

    Adejare, represented by a Director in the Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Stephen Adeniji, said overtime the PSP operators had encountered challenges, such as high cost of maintenance of operational vehicles, low compliance to service and low income due to defaulting tenements.

    “The Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is currently educating the Community Development Associations (CDAs) and the public on government policies on solid waste management.

    “The PSP also encounters other challenges, such as bad road network, narrow streets in some communities, low suspension of electricity cables and operations in riverine areas,” he said.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Communications Kehinde Bamigbetan advocated the setting up of CDA Patrol Units to monitor PSP activities in their domains and ensure that residents patronise the PSP operators.

    “The patrol units should be able to know the houses not patronising the PSP operators and know where residents of such houses dump their wastes or refuse,” he said.

    Bamigbetan urged the Neighbourhood Watchers to ensure that they know people living within their domains and the type of jobs they do so as to prevent crime in their areas.