By Asma’u Ahmad
The Lagos State Governments says it is committed to reducing the burden of waste management and improve the health of residents.
Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), Mr Adebola Shabi, said this on Thursday at a scientific conference organised by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The conference was themed; “The Burden of Waste Management in a Megacity“. Ambode’s aide was represented by Mr Jimmy Odukoya, Landfill Manager with Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
According to him, CLI, a Lagos government waste management initiative, is working with Visionscape to ensure every bit of waste created in the state is properly moved to the disposal site.
“The government is looking into creation of transfer loading stations across the state and creation of material recovery facility that will reduce the burden of waste going to the landfill site.
“It will reduce the burden of waste to be carted by the Private Sector Participants (PSP), reduce the burden of coping with waste on the highway and improve the health of everybody. We preach cleaner and fresher Lagos,” Shabi said.
He said that many wastes found on the highways were from the residences and urged residents to properly dispose their waste to prevent diseases resulting from improper disposal.
Also a Senior Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Lagos, Dr James Akanmu, urged the government to develop an overall strategic urban waste management plan.
Akanmu said the plan will prioritise areas of the city that are most vulnerable to wastes and require on-going monitoring and proactive intervention
“The government should also integrate the informal sector such as scavengers and carry community along on collection, transportation and disposal of wastes,” he said.
In his remark, ARD President in LASUTH, Dr Ajibola Salami, said that the theme was chosen because of the heaps of wastes on Lagos streets and in the communities.
“As healthcare professionals, there is a need for us to come together and brainstorm to find a solution to the challenge ravaging Lagos,” Salami said.
