Refuse: Lagos govt revives shut dumpsites

THE Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has assured residents that the temporary delays being experienced in waste evacuation across parts of Lagos will soon ease following the resuscitation and ongoing rehabilitation project of Road E at the Olusosun disposal facility, Ojota area of the state and others.

LAWMA assured that the upgrading would restore seamless access for waste collection vehicles and significantly improve evacuation operations.

Recall that Olusosun had earlier been shut for dumping of waste operations as part of decommissioning for waste to clean energy facility 

However, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who spoke during an inspection visit to assess the progress of the rehabilitation works, described the project as a critical intervention aimed at improving access to the facility and accelerating waste evacuation across the metropolis.

Gbadegesin disclosed that the rehabilitation, being undertaken by a private firm, Zoomlion Nigeria, would enable compactor trucks to access the disposal facility with greater ease, reduce turnaround time and enhance operational efficiency.

He said: “The ongoing rehabilitation of Road E will restore seamless access to the facility and substantially improve waste evacuation across the state.

“Olusosun currently receives approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, making it one of the busiest waste disposal facilities in Africa, underscoring the importance of maintaining uninterrupted access to the site.”

Gbadegesin reassured residents that while the State Government remained committed to decommissioning the Olusosun facility, the exercise would be implemented as a carefully managed process to avoid disrupting waste management services across the State.

Gbadegesin said: “The State Government has concluded plans to acquire 3,000 compactor trucks of different sizes and capacities over the next three years to strengthen waste collection and evacuation across the state.

“About 150 of the new compactors, including tricycle compactors designed for narrow streets and hard-to-reach communities, are expected to arrive before the end of the year as part of the first phase of the procurement programme.”