By Tope Musowo
Lagos
Executive Chairman Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejokun, has disclosed the resolve of the body to efficiently align with the proposed reform initiative of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to herald a cleaner Lagos, this year.
Adejokun disclosed this while declaring opened LAWMA’s three-day retreat, themed: “Reformed Waste Management in Lagos State: The Role of LAWMA,” held at the Orchid Hotels Limited Lekki, Lagos, stressing that the team gathered to brainstorm and come up with workable strategy that would embolden the body for maximal productivity beyond yesteryears attainments.
He said: “LAWMA has been in charge along with the partnership of PSP contractors in the waste management efforts and have been doing well but government believes we can do better.
“The governor has said repeatedly that government does not have the funds required for the business in real terms waste management involves billions of naira, the PSP operators also grapples with paucity of funds that informs the need for investors to come into the sector with their monies and consequently the need for a reform in the waste collection business.
“The law for the reform is still in the making but we will not wait till the law is made before we position ourselves in readiness for our job, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has reiterated that he wants a cleaner Lagos and in order to key into that that is why we are here.
“With consortiums coming on board with hundreds of new compactors to do business, I think I prefer that to those operators with rickety compactors that often times breaks down at will on our roads, this will aid efficiency, they will do the job and we will monitor them for best standard practice, if they can succeed in Lagos I bet you other states will join.”
General Manager, LAWMA, Mr. Segun Adeniji, said 14,000 metric tonnes of waste was generated in 2016 and three times of that is envisaged this year given the governor’s cleaner Lagos initiative drive.
