The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to shifting from a traditional “collect and dump” waste management model to a sustainable circular economy, aimed at creating a cleaner and more liveable environment for all residents.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known during a live appearance on the TVC programme ‘Your View’ on Wednesday.
He urged Lagosians to embrace responsible waste disposal as a way of life, highlighting its vital role in promoting environmental sustainability.
In response to recent public concerns over odours in parts of the city, Wahab clarified that such occurrences are not uncommon in megacities with landfill sites.
He pointed specifically to the Olusosun (Ojota) and Solous III (Igando) dumpsites, noting that while localised smells may arise, this should not be interpreted as Lagos being a generally “smelly city”.
As part of the government’s broader strategy, Wahab announced the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks a pivotal step in reducing landfill dependency.
The initiative, with a projected timeline of 16 to 17 months, is designed to align Lagos with global best practices in waste management.
“This concession signing is about converting waste to wealth and waste to energy,” Wahab said.
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“We are talking about transforming 55 per cent of organic waste into compost fertiliser and converting plastics into reusable waste bins. It is imperative for everyone to start building a culture of sustainability.”
He reiterated the state’s resolve to strictly enforce environmental laws and regulations, stressing that long-standing habits of impunity must be addressed.
Citing a recent example, Wahab disclosed that a man was arrested and prosecuted within 40 minutes after being caught illegally dumping refuse from a luxury vehicle on the Alapere Link Bridge.
He credited the swift action to the government’s whistleblower policy, which encourages residents to report environmental violations.
Despite the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) operating around the clock with a fleet of approximately 250 trucks to support PSP operators, indiscriminate dumping remains a challenge.
Wahab partly blamed this on individuals who import bad habits from other areas, including open defecation, despite the state having constructed over 1,710 public toilets.
“Lagos is not yet Eldorado, I admit,” he said. “But we were never at the starting line either. We’ve made progress, we work 24 hours a day. It’s a work in progress.”
