The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered an immediate scale-up of waste evacuation operations across the state following growing complaints by residents over heaps of refuse littering roads, medians and communities.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on his Facebook page on Thursday, assured residents that additional trucks and personnel had been deployed to tackle the refuse challenge.
The governor said the Lagos Waste Management Authority, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources had been directed to intensify waste clearance efforts in affected areas.
He wrote, “I have directed an immediate scale-up of waste evacuation across Lagos following the recent build-up of refuse in some parts of our state.
“LAWMA, LASEPA, and the Ministry of Environment are currently working around the clock. We have deployed extra trucks and personnel to clear the backlogs across all affected neighbourhoods.
“You should already see progress on the streets and we will not stop until our city is completely clean again.”
The directive comes amid sustained public criticism over the proliferation of refuse heaps across major roads and residential communities in the state.
PUNCH Metro recently reported that residents in areas including Oshodi, Isolo, Ajao Estate, Mushin, Idi Araba and Alimosho expressed concerns over the growing volume of uncollected waste, warning of possible health risks if urgent action was not taken.
Our correspondent, who visited the areas, had observed occupied portions of roads and residential streets, with residents attributing the situation to delayed evacuation.
Similarly, residents in Ikotun, Idimu, Ejigbo and Egbeda lamented indiscriminate dumping and the persistence of waste heaps despite evacuation efforts by authorities, describing the situation as an environmental and public health concern.
The waste crisis has also been linked to operational challenges within the waste management system.
Private Sector Participation operators had previously told PUNCH Metro that congestion and long queues at disposal sites, particularly the Olusosun dumpsite, had slowed waste evacuation across the state.
Sanwo-Olu, however, insisted that his administration remained committed to resolving the challenge, noting that the sheer volume of waste generated daily in Lagos required significant resources and coordination.
“Lagos generates over 13,000 tonnes of waste every single day. Managing this requires a massive effort, but our determination to fix the current challenge is absolute,” he said.
The governor appealed to residents to support the government’s efforts by adopting proper waste disposal practices.
“As we continue this cleanup, I ask for your partnership. Please bag your waste properly and avoid dumping refuse in drainage channels or on the roads.
“We are fully on top of this situation. Let us work together to keep Lagos clean and safe for everyone,” he added.
The state government has, in recent months, intensified efforts to improve waste management through increased enforcement, environmental sanitation campaigns and investment in waste evacuation infrastructure.
On June 11, the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority donated 10 waste compactor trucks to the state government to strengthen waste evacuation operations.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the trucks would be deployed to critical locations experiencing high waste generation and collection challenges.
Authorities have also blamed indiscriminate waste disposal by some residents for worsening the situation.
In March, PUNCH Metro reported that no fewer than 4,000 persons arrested for dumping refuse on roadsides, drainage channels, medians and other unauthorised locations across Lagos State in the last 12 months were prosecuted.
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