en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Lagos State Government in Nigeria plans to introduce "waste police" to enforce environmental sanitation regulations and prevent garbage dumping on roads across the state.
In a statement, the Lagos State Government announced that, following the directive of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, after an emergency cleanup of waste on the state's road network, it has also declared a zero-tolerance policy towards garbage dumping on Lagos roads.
The decision was reached after a meeting involving the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN). The meeting, held on Saturday at the Ministry of Transportation, brought together key stakeholders to enhance waste management and ensure cleanliness at motor parks, garages, and surrounding roads in Lagos.
At the meeting, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stated that transport unions must ensure their parks and garages remain clean and prevent indiscriminate trading and improper waste disposal within their operational areas. He also noted that the ministry would begin enforcement actions to ensure proper maintenance of motor parks and appropriate waste disposal. He reiterated the government's stance that roads should not be used as dumpsites and revealed that the state would establish waste police comprising members of transport unions from each local government area. These waste police will be responsible for monitoring motor parks and their surroundings to prevent indiscriminate dumping.
Mr. Sam Egube, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, stated that transport operators in other parts of the world work closely with governments to effectively manage transport infrastructure. He urged all stakeholders to work together to address the state's waste management challenges. Sola Giwa called on the NURTW and RTEAN to take full responsibility as partners in waste control by ensuring strict compliance at all motor parks and garages.
Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director of LAWMA, thanked the transport unions for supporting the relaunched environmental sanitation campaign and encouraged them to maintain cooperation. He pointed out that waste management cannot be handled by LAWMA alone, emphasizing the need for collaboration with transport unions that have widespread activities across the state. Dr. Gbadegesin stated that LAWMA clears approximately 13,000 tons of waste daily in Lagos, while transport unions move about 22 million commuters each day. He stressed the need for cooperation between LAWMA and the unions to ensure proper waste disposal at motor parks and garages, while also preventing indiscriminate trading at their stations and access roads. He also called for continued collaboration to curb indiscriminate trading and improper waste disposal at stations and surrounding areas, urging the unions to report violations for swift action. "LAWMA will continue to work closely with the unions, leveraging their presence across the state to monitor roads, motor parks, and surrounding communities, urging them to report cases of indiscriminate dumping for prompt action," Dr. Gbadegesin said.
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