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Tag: Waste Management

  • LAWMA raises alarm over Apapa ‘degeneration’

    Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has raised the alarm over what it called the continuous degeneration of quality of life through collapse of public hygiene and waste management services in the Apapa area.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, the agency said the deplorable condition of the environment at Apapa occasioned by the inaccessibility of the roads for LAWMA vehicles in the area, had become a source of worry for the organisation.”

    LAWMA said in recent times, it has intensified efforts to rid the state of backlog of wastes, which are known to have defaced the environment, saying it has deployed trucks across the state to stem the tide of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, as well as engaged the Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators to tackle wastes at household level,”he stated.

    The statement stated that efforts by the Authority to extend its services to Apapa are being hampered by articulated trucks, which had made the road impassable for LAWMA and PSP operators.

    “Our findings showed a general degradation of the environment in the area and a looming epidemic, if the situation is not quickly addressed. Owing to this situation, LAWMA sweepers cannot work efficiently there; people bathe and defecate on the road, thus wearing out the asphalt. The roads have also been turned into mechanic workshops where major repairs of heavy trucks are carried out, spilling engine oil and diesel on same road.

    Read also: Firm renovates 21 classrooms in Apapa

    “To avert the outbreak of epidemy in the area, there is need for the authorities concerned to clear Apapa for smooth operation by our operatives. Residents are thus called upon to support LAWMA in this effort to save this crucial part of the state from the continuous degradation,” the statement read.

    LAWMA appealed to the authorities in Apapa to take urgent steps to address this critical issue for the sake of the environment and people who do their businesses there, adding that the agency’s goal is to achieve a cleaner and healthier Lagos.

  • Lagos urges residents on waste management

    The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has urged residents to embrace the habit of proper waste disposal to enhance a cleaner and healthier city.

    Its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Obinna Onyenali in a statement reiterated the agency’s commitment to restoring Lagos to its former status of being one of the cleanest cities in the country, adding that the authority had a blueprint to achieve this objective.

    “So far that template is what we are looking at right now and it’s to take us to that level where Lagosians will be proud of the city,” he said.

    He appealed to the residents to shun the act of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and imbibe the culture of waste containerisation so as to ensure environmental sustainability and cleanliness of the state.

    He implored Lagosians to go back to the old habit of bagging their wastes and waiting for the PSPs to evacuate them, a strategy he said has over time  proven to be effective in curtailing rising cases of black spots in the metropolis in recent times.

    “What we want Lagosians to do right now is to go back to that habit of 2015 where households had their own containers in front of their houses,” he emphasised.

    He said private sector participants otherwise known as PSP operators had been empowered to visit tenements in the state to collect their wastes at least once in a week. He urged residents to contact LAWMA in cases where their assigned PSPs did not show up for appropriate measures to be taken to address the service gap.

     

     

  • Expert advises women to invest in waste management

    An Environment expert in waste management, Mrs. Sade Nubi, has advised women to invest in waste management, to add value to their livelihood.

    Nubi, an engineer with Works and Physical Planning Department, University of Lagos (UNILAG), in an interview yesterday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said: “I will gladly say yes; women can partake in waste management business.

    “It is not a business only for men; women can partake and even be more successful because it deserves attention.

    “The woman just needs to understand the business chain and decide what aspect she wants. Waste management business can involve collection and disposal, sorting, treatment (recycling).

    “At present we have women in the different sectors. Some women can afford a compactor work with the government under the PPP (Public Private Partnership) scheme.

    “They collect waste from households, commercial areas and then dispose of at designated dumpsites or landfill.”

    She said other women working on a smaller scale were mostly involved in recycling, which included recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), plastics, paper, cans, nylons, glass, textile and bricks, wood and metals.

    The recycling involves sorting of waste at the dumpsite or buying already-sorted materials and then they bale and send to the bigger recycling companies, Nubi said.

    She said others add more value by washing, crushing and pelletising before selling to the companies that need them for raw materials.

    Nubi said more women were going into recycling.

    “We now find women who make great and beautiful furniture from old used tyres and other recyclable materials.

    “I can proudly say I have been in the waste management business for over seven years by managing the University of Lagos waste and generating revenue from recycling. At our sorting centre, we have a ratio of one male to two females.

    “Gender activities play an important role in environmental household waste management. The results also show that more women, rather than men, handle household waste.

  • Lagos to adopt holistic approach to waste management

    LAGOS State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has said effective Solid Waste Management (SWM) requires a paradigm shift.

    Besides, he argued that in the quest for environmental sustainability, a new mindset, which would revolve around responsibility,partnership and stewardship has to be in place.

    Ambode stated this at the World Habitat Day (WHD) held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja on Monday.

    The governor described the theme: “Municipal solid waste management”, as very apt and timely, especially with the global challenges of green house gases, global warming and climate change on the increase.

    The governor noted that waste generation is a natural phenomenon as a result of human activities, hence, the challenges of managing solid waste cannot be over emphasised. He recalled that while previous administrations have put in several efforts with the formulation of various policies on municipal waste management, yet, the astronomical increase in population and the resultant waste generation have necessitated a re-focus, in the interest of the state. This is more so as the existing structures and current realities have revealed deficiencies, especially in terms of equipment and infrastructural gaps as they do not align with the state’s vision of a smart city.

    “In the quest for a holistic approach towards solving the challenges of waste management, the state government in line with global best practices conceptualised the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI). This initiative is a strong resolve and commitment to redefining solid waste management in the state. The waste management cycle include, but not limited to the control, collection, storage, treatment, recycling, transportation and disposal of waste. The efficiency of this system, among others, is highly dependent on the inherent opportunities in waste reduction at point of generation, waste sorting and, above all, demonstration of right attitude that will guarantee us a sustainable environment,” Ambode explained.

    While the governor described the CLI as a laudable concept, he nonetheless admitted that in the process of implementation, some constraints had been identified, which required periodic review.

    Ambode further noted that the astronomical population growth, increasing living standard of people, new settlements and emerging industries to meet human needs for survival against increase in waste generation. These wastes from industrial and domestic activities, when not properly disposed off, he argued, can cause a lot of harm in the environment and breed various diseases. He, nonetheless, said the best possible methods of managing solid waste are to reuse, reduce and recycle them, thus making the waste-to-wealth programmes in the state of uttermost importance. For the waste management framework to be effective, the governor said there is the need for comprehensive technological development, environmental education and awareness programmes for the populace. He revealed that his administration through the Ministry of the Environment (MoE), is fully engaged in organising awareness campaigns aimed at sensitising school children, youth organisations, NGOs, community town hall meetings and public advocacy regarding the importance of proper solid waste management. These steps being taken by the government are in consonance with the Sustainable Development Goal No 3, which addresses the need “to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all ages.

    “This Administration places a lot of emphasis on clean-up campaigns. These campaigns are regularly organised in various communities where bin liners are distributed to the inhabitants, who are also encouraged to clean up their homes and market places. In our endeavour to protect the environment, we are promoting drastic behavioural changes at the individual level as well as collective and institutional levels,” Ambode said.

    In a similar vein, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rotimi Ogunleye, said the state meets the highest international standard in the disposal of waste, admiting that solid waste management is a serious environmental issue that needs to be taken serious especially as urbanisation and industrialisation have taken a new dimension, which in turn affects both Flora and Fauna.

    He said waste management comprises four components that cut across recycling, composting, disposal and waste-to-energy. Each of these components, he explained, has financial implication and as nations develop technologically, they adopt one component or the other in response to their environmental challenge.

    “Waste management also entails the collection, keeping, treatment and disposal of waste to render harmful organisms harmless to human, animal life, the ecology and the environment in general. Lagos State generates an average of 0.115kg of waste daily. It, therefore, means that the state requires huge funds to be earmarked for domestic waste management to provide necessary facilities for operators engaged in collection and disposal of domestic waste,” Ogunleye said.

    He said while good policies are sacrosanct, but it is in the area of implementation where there is a need to make a difference. “We need attitudinal change and resolve to move towards Zero Waste economy whereby output of each resource is converted into input for a better use,” he submitted.

  • ‘we’re positioned for better waste management’

    Visionscape Sanitation Solutions (VSS) said Lagosians need not worry over the rising scourge and menace of plastics.

    The firm said Transfer Loading Stations (TLS) in Agege, Oshodi and Lagos Island are prepared for the task ahead.

    Its Chief executive officer, John Irvine, said Agege and Lagos Island stations will handle only solid waste; the Oshodi station will cater for solid, medical and hazardous waste.

    “The Lagos market is highly dependent on plastic materials. Without adequate disposal processes, the waste materials end up polluting the earth, the oceans and ultimately, affecting human health. Improving the process of sorting and packaging at these transfer loading stations makes it easier for us to recover materials that would have caused pollution,” Irvine said.

    He noted that the benefits of TLS reflect in both economic and environmental terms.

    Irvine explained that facilitating an efficient approach to waste management in the state is the core of its framework for the new waste management system – the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).

  • Why waste management appears slow, by city cleaners

    Lagos waste manager – Messrs Visionscape Sanitation Services (VSS) – is battling to rid the streets of refuse. After the initial take-off glitches, the firm is back on the drawing board to rework its strategy, reports MUYIWA LUCAS.

    CITY cleaners Visionscape Sanitation Services (VSS) has explained why the new Lagos State waste management reforms have not been “fully actualised”. Its Chief Executive Officer, John Irvine, said the long-term plans could not be swiftly implemented just as the public prefers.

    VSS has gone back to the drawing board, he said, to restrategise on how best to rid the streets of Lagos of refuse.

    Irvine said: “A standard engineered sanitary landfill takes 18-24 months to construct; as this goes on in the background, bin distribution to households, roadsides, markets for large volume collection are taking place simultaneously. A reformed system cannot be delivered in the short term, patience and support of citizens is required.”

    Explaining why Lagos is still dirty despite the state government new waste management policy, Irvine explained there was an understanding that the PSP operators would transit from residential waste collection to commercial waste collection and work closely with the new residential waste collectors to ensure that there were no gaps in service delivery when the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) was introduced.

    He described as unfortunate that there was dissension between PSP operators and the government which led to a court case instigated by the operators who withdrew from waste collection in the state leaving the yet-to-be announced Visionscape Sanitation to handle roadside waste heaps and residential waste collection simultaneously.

    Irvine is however pleased that the PSPs operators, now designated as “Waste Collection Operators” (WCOs) have now reached an agreement with the state government and entered into a partnership with his firm to rid the Centre of Excellence of the unsightly heaps of waste dotting the city.

    The waste situation has and will continue to improve considerably as all WCOs work closely together to achieve the primary goal of a cleaner Lagos for all, Irvine assured.

    According to him, effective waste management is one of the basic services being provided by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration.

    Although the task is enormous, Irvine said the government has demonstrated the will-power to deliver a clean and healthy city.

    The state, Irvine said, is managing waste generated by over 20 million residents, noting that with rapid urbanisation, waste generation in the state has been on a significant rise.

    Only daily basis, 13,000 metric tonnes of waste is managed with old infrastructure. This figure indicates that 80 per cent of the waste generated in the state is derived from residential waste by individuals and households.

    The VSS chief said the need for change in the previous way of managing waste brought about the CLI, explaining that in the old regime, although waste was disappearing from the roads and from houses, but it was building up elsewhere and constituting potentially catastrophic incidences.

    He further explained that waste sorting, recycling and disposal, should occur at an engineered landfill, but that for decades, Lagos had operated dumpsites at Olusosun, Solous, Ikorodu and Igando; hence, the need to upgrade existing infrastructure, redesign the components and increase efficiency.

    Describing the 25-year-old Olusosun dumpsite as a “ticking time bomb”, Irvine revealed that this dumpsite, which has stared at all entrants into the state in the face for several years, had long been marked for closure.”

    He argued that the recent fire at Olusosun dumpsite was catalysed by methane gas combustion, not waste burning – a situation that the CLI, is designed to prevent.

    “The reforms under the CLI are proactive and when fully implemented, they would prevent similar occurrences,” he assured.

    On what becomes of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and PSP operators, Irvine explained that the latter have not been forced out of operation, but have been designated as WCO.

    As a form of full engagement with the WCO, they have been recertified, licensed and provided with a loan facility by the government for repairs and purchase of modern equipment.

    The WCOs (former PSP operators) are now focused on commercial waste, while Visionscape is the WCO in charge of residential waste. LAWMA is now saddled with the responsibility of regulating all WCOs in the state, he explained.

    On the CLI, Irvine regretted that notwithstanding that no fewer than four agencies – Lagos State Refuse Disposal Board (LSRDB), 1977; Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (LSWDB), 1981; Lagos State Waste Management Authority, 1991; and Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), 2007, to manage waste in the state, infrastructural gaps persisted, especially as waste management facility commissioned in 2011 were dilapidated by 2016.

    To this end, Irvine emphasised that the CLI, as a waste management reform has been designed to achieve better results.

    He said the initiative was geared towards addressing, enforcing and regulating the challenges in solid waste management systems.

    “The CLI aims to protect the environment, human health and the social living standards of Lagosians,” he affirmed.

    Waste management experts have said that given the size of the state’s population, 2, 500 compactors would be needed to effectively manage waste in the state.

    The experts said that there were fewer than 500 trucks at CLI inception. The CLI is working with over 400 contractors with the addition of 900 compactors into the system.

    Irvine said that the number will continue to grow as all the contractors under the CLI upgrade their equipment and scale up operations.

    He said the CLI has not only created jobs, it has boosted the economy.

     

    The CLI

     

    With ample local content involvement, as most of the contractors under the scheme are local companies, the CLI is poised to deliver over 27,500 direct jobs and 6, 500 indirect jobs.

    Besides, it is being used by the state to drive behavioural change among residents by urging them to embrace the three Rs concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle waste to conserve the environment.

    Thousands of Nigerian companies and individuals talk about the health benefits of vegetables, but not many care to take the required actions to make the products accessible to especially the city dwellers.

    Hence, by extending the seasoning brand, the company has not only made cooking easier for those who cannot do without ginger, onion and garlic but it is also spreading their health benefit

  • Expert seeks national policy on waste management 

    Expert seeks national policy on waste management 

    ‎Experts have called for a national policy on waste management in order to benefit from the opportunities inherent in disposable waste.

    Some of the experts who highlighted the opportunities in waste noted that wastes can be transformed into energy, fertilizer and other valuable recycled products.

    Speaking at Abuja Waste Summit with the theme; ‘Sustainable Management of Municipal Waste, Challenges, opportunities and Policies in Nigeria’, the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello urged FCT residents to change their attitude towards waste disposal.

    The Minister who was represented by the Ag.Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Omolola Olanipekun said: “It is high time we graduate from collect and dump process of waste disposal and incorporate meaningful strategies into our waste management stream so as to benefit from other aspects of waste.

    “Lots of opportunities are in waste because what we call waste can be transformed into other valuable useful products like fertilizer and other recyclables.

    “We should graduate from collect and dump of waste because a lot of people are willing to buy it to make energy and when this transforms into energy, it will lead to economic empowerment.”

    On the volume of waste generated in FCT, the Minister said: “you know we have dump sites in some location but presently, the most active dump site that we have is Gosa dump site.

    “On a daily basis, the waste tonnage that we have in FCT is about 1000 tonnes of waste and if you multiply that by 30, you will understand and, this is outside the ones that are indiscriminately dumped”.

    ‎Speaking on the essence of the summit, the CEO of Mezzagers Environmental Services, Abidemi Sanusi called for a national policy on waste management which would change the attitude of people towards waste disposal.

    Sanusi while urging Nigerians to embrace waste generation and management notes that it has become such an important in building sustainable and livable cities around the world.

    “Efficient waste management impacts on public health, economy and social wellbeing of the people.

    “All we need is an effective national waste policy. Lack of guideline and framework has affected our attitude towards waste disposal. I would canvass for a comprehensive and sustainable and national waste policy in Nigeria.”

  • CLI: Lagos’ pill for waste management

    CLI: Lagos’ pill for waste management

    With the arrival of hundreds of ultra-modern refuse trucks, the stage is set for the take-off of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), a scheme designed to keep the Centre of Excellence sparkling. IDOWU AJANAKU, a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Media & Strategy, explains why the CLI is ideal for Lagos waste management.

    We must admit, right from the outset, that much more could be achieved to upgrade the level of waste management in Lagos, a city that boasts of 21 million residents; from the stage of collection, through transportation to disposal. It is in the light of this humble admission that upon assumption of duty in May 2015, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode took a more in-depth and holistic appraisal of the system of environmental protection with specific regards to the inherited waste policy.

    After a thorough reflection, he had some salient questions to ask himself. Was Lagos, as he met it, in sync with other cities, such as London, Tokyo, New York and Paris, to mention but a few in terms of cleanliness to be called a mega city? The answer was a resounding: “No!” The other was to ask himself if anything could be done to re-invent the city being the fifth largest economy in Africa and hoping to be the third, to be at par with the afore-mentioned cities and even Kigali, the capital of Rwanda regarded by renowned environmentalists as the cleanest on the continent? The answer was a convincing: “Yes!” But that was not all.

    Considering the enormous financial resources that would be needed to achieve what he had in mind, did the government have the wherewithal to actualise his dream for a master-class state of cleanliness in the megalopolis? Again, the bitter answer was a “No”. The bitter truth was that, with the then looming economic recession and other competing needs of the state, other sectors would suffer should all the funds available to the government be channeled to waste management alone. So, the pertinent question was what could be done?

    Having understudied the modern, technologically-driven waste-to-wealth policies adopted by other cities such as Singapore, London and Washington DC, he discovered some astonishing results. One is that Lagos generates the largest mass of the combined domestic and industrial waste in the world! Estimated at about 13,000 tons per day, excluding that from the suburbs, compared to that of New York put at 10,000 tons daily, it meant that finding a long and lasting solution to the environmental challenges would not be a one-off approach. It has to be all-encompassing.

    It was against this backdrop that Ambode sent a holistic, Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) Bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly for consideration. After a painstaking look at all the facets enunciated in the bill, the House in its wisdom decided to pass it into law. The lawmakers knew, like the governor did, that the government needed to shop for a competent, resourceful, well-heeled and world-class waste management company to drive the process that would ensure a cleaner, safer and healthier Lagos for the next 25 years.

    Besides, ingrained in the law are the features that guarantee a more proactive and people-involving process. This is aimed to prevent health hazards, turn waste into wealth and generate mass youth employment. The law also cleverly separates domestic from industrial type, unlike it was in the past.

    With the law intact, a critical look at the process exposed the financial malpractices and corruption that had characterised the Private Sector Participation (PSP). For instance, when the government asked the 3,000 people engaged by it to come forward for verification only 700 of them showed up for it!

    Even at that, some presented equipment with PSP inscription after which they removed label. Others brought theirs with the same number! Worse still, most of the PSP operators lack the required funding to meet with the new demands for a cleaner Lagos. This rather sad and sordid scenario for a system meant to engender a healthier state informed the decision to go for Visionscope Sanitation Solutions (VSS) Ltd.

    With the proud pedigree of an experienced world-renowned waste management system at its disposal, the company brought in 1,000 new, green trucks. Unlike the PSP operators that paid its workers N12, 000 monthly salary each, without insurance  or any pension benefit VSS will employ 27,000 workers with a monthly salary of N27,000 each. What more, each will enjoy both insurance and pension benefits. The PSP operators will henceforth focus on the suburb areas such as Ayobo, Epe, Badagary,Meiran and Iyana Ipaja. The VSS will deploy its managerial capacity within the city.

    In addition, there will be 10 sweepers in each of the 3,950 wards, having similar modern cleaning equipment and kits. They will be involved in the fumigation of all nooks and corners, canals and gutters. The implication of this new approach is that vectors of different diseases such as mosquitoes that cause malaria and rats that cause Lassa fever would be drastically reduced.

    Also, with 10,000 bins strategically placed at various streets across the state, combined with a sustained public awareness, the residents will no longer have excuse for dumping refuse indiscriminately. With slow attitudinal change to new policies, there are obstacles to be overcome.

    As evident so far, Ambode’s unique and meticulous administrative style is to institute and bring to bear pragmatic policies to solve such challenges. It would be recalled that soon after he took over the mantle of leadership, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and some few others, seemed to be in chaos. But he used his managerial ingenuity to overcome them.

    It has been observed that the same forces that were at work to sabotage the administration’s efforts to re-invent leadership’s modus operandi, have cashed in on the period of planning and take off of CLI to frustrate it with all manner of antics.

    For instance, it would interest the public to know that some PSP operators and some LAWMA officials have been dumping refuse indiscriminately all over the city to embarrass the government.

    But we are fully aware that there is no gain without pain and we cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs. The full assurance is hereby being given that all the loopholes in the sanitation process have been plugged and within the next few months, they will witness a cleaner Lagos that would be a pride not only to Lagosians and Nigerians, but to the entire African continent.

    They should therefore, have similar confidence in him as they have amply demonstrated at the beginning when the challenges of transportation and traffic gridlock reared their ugly heads. Just like the administration shamed the London Economics with its editorial when Ambode came in, as they have swallowed their vomit, all the governor’s traducers this time around, would also be put to shame. With the soon-to-take-off new policy on transportation to get more than 40,000 Danfos off the roads and instill traffic sanity, Lagos will never be the same again.

    Lagosians must break this barrier for cleaner Lagos for the present and upcoming generations.

     

  • Waste management takes revolutionary approach in Lagos

    Waste management takes revolutionary approach in Lagos

    Waste management is a major challenge in every metropolitan society. Lagos is no exception. Fifth columnist are not helping matters. But Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has unveiled a revolutiuonary approach that promises to turn the state to the cleanest in the country, WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    With a population of over 22 million, Lagos had course to grapple with resurgence of waste in major parts of the state. The development was attributed to the new waste management policy of the state government encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI). Yet more than casual observers noted that the sudden appearance of waste in some parts of the city, was the handiwork of those who are not comfortable with the policy and have vowed to stand against its implementation.

    However, they have their match in Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Last Wednesday, he told Lagosians of how the new policy, when fully implemented from next month, would indeed transform the waste management subsector and bequeath a functional, healthier and livable environment to the people of the state.

    The ultimate goal of the initiative, said the governor,  is to make the mass of the people healthy, and when the people are healthy, they are likely to be more productive and productivity according to him, is about services and goods, which in turn, will translate to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State.

    The assurances of the true intention of the new policy came to fore at the 2017 Third Quarter Town Hall Meeting, the 8th in the series, held at the Badore Ferry Terminal in Ajah.

    Addressing a large gathering of politicians, artisans, concerned Lagosians and residents at the meeting, which was specifically designed by his administration to intimate people about the policies and programmes of government and as well get the necessary feedback, Ambode said he deliberately asked that the meeting be held at Ajah taking into account the flooding recently witnessed in the area, and to assure the people that government was working round the clock to comprehensively address the challenges once and for all.

    He urged residents of the State to be patient with government on the Cleaner Lagos Initiative billed to commence next month, saying that the policy which is a holistic and comprehensive waste management plan was currently in its gestation period.

    He said once fully operational, waste would be collected in line with international best practices, while all parts of the state would always be kept clean.

    The governor, however, urged residents to adopt new attitude to disposing waste and desist from dumping in drainages and canals, assuring that the government would provide adequate bins to discourage indiscriminate dumping.

    While giving further explanation, the governor said: “The question to ask is why are people putting their waste in the drains and canals hoping that somehow the water will flush it away? The answer comes back to government because we have not been able to provide the people with enough bins or places where they can put the dirt.

    “They cannot leave the dirt in the house so they must have a channel to get it out. Another question is, has government been able to provide enough locations, bins, bags and so on? where they can put that refuse and then we can collect it and when we collect it efficiently, as part of their attitude, they will not go back to the canals and the drains. They will only go back to where we have provided for them.

    “Now, do we have enough equipment to clean Lagos? Are we having enough dino bins, plastic bags, compactors that can go round the population of 22million people? The answer before now is no. We are the largest waste producer in the world more than New York. New York produces 10,000 tonnes of waste every day, the waste accounted for in Lagos is 13,000 tonnes per day, not to talk of areas that are not documented.

    “Do we have enough equipment and compactors? We don’t have, but how do we get it? We have not increased the taxes you are paying. The population is increasing and by that fact the waste is increasing and we have not increased revenue. But we need new equipment. Some people were doing it for us before but we all saw the equipment they have been using to clean up the State and the truth is they can never do it right.

    “If we say we want to be a smart city and globally competitive, we must use the approach that allows you to collect waste in a globally competitive way and that is what we have done with the CLI without me punishing tax payers. We have a partnership that provides 600 brand new compactors without me paying one naira yet and with the partnership, we will provide 27,500 sanitation workers in all our wards across the State, who will be uniformed and clean Ikorodu, Ayobo the same way they clean Victoria Island and then they will provide bins where our people can now have the culture and attitude to put their dirt in the bins instead of putting it in the canals and drains,” Ambode said.

    Ambode said the 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development chairmen have been mandated to ensure constant cleaning of the environment, while officials of the State Government would be moving round to evacuate waste.

    Under the CLI, apart from the 600 brand new compactors that would be used to collect waste, 900,000 electronically tracked bins would be provided in homes across the State, while wastes generated by the commercial sector would be handled by licensed private sector participants waste managers otherwise known as PSP operators.

    The dump sites in Olusosun, Igando and other areas which had been major eyesore would be closed for Engineered Sanitary and Engineered Hazardous Landfills which are being constructed by the new partners, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Limited. For efficient collection and disposal operations, the State Government has also concessioned three Transfer Loading Stations/Material Recovery Facilities at Agege, Oshodi and Simpson and three Waste Depots at Mushin, Ogudu and Simpson with the aim of rehabilitating and retrofitting the facilities to world class standard.

    In addition, while the 27,500 sweepers would be deployed to all the political wards in the State to keep the inner streets clean, mechanised sweeping equipment would be deployed to all the highways to prevent the incidence of sweepers being hit by oncoming vehicles.

    Speaking on other issues at the Town Hall Meeting, Governor Ambode said work on the proposed expansion and reconstruction of the Oshodi-International Airport Road would commence next month, while plans are already underway to commence the construction of 181 local government roads also next month.

    On the Oshodi-International Airport Road, Governor Ambode said the construction, which has already been awarded, would see the transformation of the road from four lanes to 10 lanes, from Oshodi to the International Airport with interchange and flyover that would drop commuters to the Local Airport.

    It would be recalled that in May 2017, Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo approved that the road be handed over to the Lagos State Government for total reconstruction.

    Ambode, who had described the current state of the road as a national disgrace, said that work would begin in earnest come September.

    On the delay in the commencement of rehabilitation of 181 inner roads, Governor Ambode said the development was due to the fluctuation in dollar rate at the time the bid was last opened, but that a new bid would be opened in the next two weeks, while work would commence in September.

    “By the next two to three weeks, I will reopen the advert to get a new cost and all things been equal the job would start on the roads by end of September,” he said.

    Governor Ambode also assured residents that the State Public Works would seize the period of the break of the rainy season to fix all potholes across the State in order to improve drive time for motorists.

    As part of the initiatives to enhance commuting within the State, the Governor said new modern bus terminals would be constructed commencing from this quarter in Marina, Ajah, Ojota, Agege, Iju Ishaga and Iyana Ipaja, while as part of the integrated transport system, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) would be constructed to connect Badore Jetty to Ajah.

    Ambode also said that his administration has earned the trust of Lagosians in the last 26 months, adding that taxes paid have been judiciously utilised to make life more comfortable for residents in the state.

    He thanked Lagosians for cooperating and helping his administration to translate its visions and plans for the state to reality, noting that without their taxes, it would have been impossible.

    “I urge all other taxable individuals yet to join the tax net to go to the nearest Lagos State Inland Revenue office to register.  Feel free to honour your civic obligations.  We believe we have earned your trust.  Every kobo paid as tax will be judiciously used for the good of Lagosians.

    “Our government feels emboldened by the tremendous support and cooperation you have continued to give us. This was also evident in your action of July 22nd when you voted massively for the All Progressives Congress during the just concluded Local Government elections,” Governor Ambode said.

    He added that the Badore Road would be expanded at its entrance from Ajah Roundabout, while plans are afoot to construct Oke-Ira Nla Road as an alternative to totally eliminate traffic along the axis.

    Responding to complaints by a resident of the axis, Mrs Abiodun Dina on the activities of dredgers who are fond of spoiling the road and parking indiscriminately on the road thereby subjecting people to avoidable traffic snarl, Ambode said in as much as government was not interested in shutting down businesses, he said the government would have to wield the big stick if the dredgers fail to comply with rules of engagement.

    The town hall meeting had in attendance the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu I, members of the State Executive Council, members of the House of Assembly, top government functionaries, party chieftains, traditional rulers, among others.

  • Minister seeks investment in waste management, Abuja rail

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has called for foreign direct investments in waste management in the Federal Capital Territory as opportunities abound in that sub-sector for any would be genuine investor. Bello made the call while receiving a delegation of non-career Nigeria Ambassadors designate that paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

    He reiterated that Abuja city provides one of the best economic opportunities for big businesses; saying that the sub-sector has enormous potentials to be harnessed.

    The Minister advised the Ambassadors designate that whichever country they are deployed to, they should always promote and project to their host nations various investment opportunities in Nigeria, especially the huge business prospects in waste management in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Bello said that the presence of good infrastructure as well as the relative peace and security in the Territory combined with its massive population, will surely make Abuja a preferred destination for investors to do business and reap huge benefits.

    According to him, “One area that we want you to consider as you discuss Abuja with your host nations is the area of waste management. For those of you that are in Europe, we understand there is a lot of funding for green projects of such nature. These are areas that the we would be very interested in.”

    Bello emphasized that apart from its huge population and location advantages, the Territory is well connected to Europe through a number of air carriers that fly in and out of Abuja on a daily basis as well as a number of other West African countries, including East and South African countries.

    The Minister said that although the Lots 3 and 1A of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit is well funded by the Chinese EXIM Bank, opportunities still exists in the Lot 2, Lot 4 and 5 of the on-going the rail system.

    His words: ”We have what we call the Abuja Rail Mass Transit System which is under construction on the basis of six Lots. Already, Lots 1A and 3 are being funded by the Chinese Exim Bank and hopefully that would be completed by the first quarter of next year. But there is opportunity for the Lots 2, 4, 5 and 6. So, these are some of the areas that when you get fully settled, we may be able to communicate with you on some of these issues.”

    The leader of delegation and the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye said that the purpose of their visit is to introduce the Ambassadors designate to the Minister and to find out some of the potentials in the FCT in terms of the economic and investment opportunities.

    Ambassador Enikanolaiye remarked that the FCT Administration could assist the new envoys on how to project and promote the priorities of government, particularly, those in the Federal Capital Territory.