The new waste management initiative in Lagos State, which involves developing collection and disposal infrastructure, may suffer setback arising from pressure being piled on the state government by existing waste operators, asking it to jettison the new waste management company in the state.
Shortly after assuming office, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode launched the Cleaner Lagos Initiative which, in addition to ensuring a clean environment in the state, seeks to expand and modernise the state’s waste disposal infrastructure to be provided by the new waste manager.
But vested interests, including the association of waste managers of Nigeria (AWAM), has been vociferous in their complaints against the new initiative, condemning government’s decision to put them out of business in order to pave way for the ‘intruding’ waste manager.
Despite the state government’s disposition to an amicable settlement that will see a win-win situation between the operators and the overriding interest of a cleaner Lagos, the operators are bent on a return to status quo ante which means sending away the new manager and reinstating the operators.
But Lagos residents see this return to the status quo ante or sending away Visionscape Sanitation Solution which is the new waste manager in the state as put on hold the development of waste disposal infrastructure such as landfills and transfer loading stations which the company is undertaking.
It is estimated that Lagos produces 13,000 metric tons of waste on daily basis and to effectively dispose them according to global best practice, Visionscape has embarked on the construction of transfer Loading Stations, three service depots and one engineered landfill. The company also provides recycled waste bags, residential waste bins and allows feedback mechanism for residential customers.
With these infrastructure, it is hoped that the state would avoid the pitfalls of Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota area of the state which caught fire recently and put the lives of residents of that area in danger until it was put out.
The experience in other areas where there are dumpsites, particularly in Igando, Alimosho area of the state, is not any better as the existing operators—the private sector participants (PSP), litter the roads with refuse and pollute the environment, endangering the health of the residents.
There is currently a new twist in the waste management initiative in the state as AWAM, playing the political card, has petitioned the former governor of the state and their grand patron, Bola Tinubu, who has assured that the matter would be resolved.
CHUKA UROKO
