The Lagos State Government has announced plans to introduce a “Waste Police” as part of efforts to enforce environmental sanitation laws and stop the dumping of refuse on roads across the state.
A statement by the Lagos state Government said the
government also declared zero tolerance for waste disposal on Lagos roads,
following a directive by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for the emergency
evacuation of waste across the state’s road network.
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, which was held on Saturday at the Ministry of
Transportation, brought together key stakeholders to strengthen waste
management and ensure cleanliness in motor parks, garages, and surrounding
roads across Lagos.
Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner for
Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said transport unions must ensure that
their parks and garages are kept clean and must also discourage indiscriminate
trading and improper waste disposal within their operational areas.
He also said the ministry would begin enforcement actions to
ensure proper maintenance of motor parks and proper disposal of waste.
Reiterating the government’s stance, he said roads must not
be used as refuse dumps and revealed that the state would set up a Waste Police
made up of members of transport unions across all local government areas.
According to him, the Waste Police will be responsible for
monitoring motor parks and their surroundings to prevent indiscriminate dumping
of refuse.
The Lagos State Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Sam Egube, said
transport operators in other parts of the world work closely with governments
to manage transport infrastructure effectively. He urged all stakeholders at
the meeting to work together to address waste management challenges in the
state.
Also speaking, Hon. Sola Giwa called on NURTW and RTEAN to
take full responsibility as partners in waste control by ensuring strict
compliance in all motor parks and garages.
The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin,
appreciated the transport unions for supporting the reintroduced environmental
sanitation exercise and encouraged them to sustain their cooperation.
He noted that waste management cannot be handled by LAWMA
alone, stressing the need for collaboration with transport unions whose members
operate widely across the state.
Dr. Gbadegesin said that LAWMA evacuates about 13,000 tons
of waste daily across Lagos, while the transport unions move an estimated 22
million commuters every day. He stressed the need for collaboration between
LAWMA and the unions to ensure proper waste disposal at motor parks and
garages, while also discouraging indiscriminate trading in their parks and
corridors.
He also urged continued cooperation to discourage
indiscriminate trading and improper waste disposal in parks and surrounding
areas, while calling on unions to report violations for prompt action.
“LAWMA would 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 waste
disposal for prompt action,” Dr. Gbadegesin said.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com