By Bunmi Yekini
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has intensified efforts to curb indiscriminate waste disposal across the state, combining strict enforcement with innovative waste management solutions. The agency has reaffirmed its commitment to full compliance with environmental laws, warning that violators will face legal consequences.
Speaking on Lagos Talks 91.3 FM, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed that surveillance and enforcement teams are working around the clock to track and apprehend offenders.
“Right now, we have about 50 cases in court where we have apprehended violators for illegal waste dumping. Our enforcement team, in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), has intensified its monitoring efforts, ensuring that offenders are prosecuted,” he said.
Gbadegesin further revealed that over 300 illegal waste carts had been seized and were set for destruction. He noted that investigations showed many offenders were either new to Lagos or deliberately disregarding waste management laws, warning that such acts would not be tolerated.
“We are taking a firm stance against this trend. Our surveillance teams work both day and night to catch perpetrators in the act. Laws exist to be followed and enforced, and that’s the primary task of government so we can all live in peace,” he stated.
Beyond enforcement, LAWMA is also enhancing its waste management strategies, including the expansion of the Waste-to-Wealth and Circular Economy initiatives to minimize landfill dependence. Gbadegesin highlighted the agency’s efforts to create economic value from waste.
“We started to ask ourselves, are these things we are throwing away actually waste, or can we derive value from them? Now, we have a glass recycling plant in Lagos, and people are beginning to see the economic potential in materials like PET bottles,” he explained.
Additionally, LAWMA has introduced tricycle compactors in hard-to-reach areas such as Ibeju Lekki, with plans to extend the initiative to other parts of Lagos. The initiative aims to improve waste collection, particularly in areas with poor road networks.
“Our goal is to make waste collection more accessible. The scheme, once introduced in other parts of the state, will operate on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis,” Gbadegesin said.
LAWMA’s marine waste team continues its daily waste collection efforts along the coastline, lagoons, and drainage channels, particularly at Five Cowries Creek. The agency is also expanding its medical waste management system to include not just hospitals but also hairdressers and beauticians who generate human tissue waste.
Reiterating LAWMA’s zero-tolerance policy on environmental violations, Gbadegesin urged Lagos residents to take responsibility for maintaining a cleaner city.
“Every Lagos resident has a role to play, from disposing waste properly through accredited PSP operators, cleaning gutters in front of their houses, to sorting waste at the source. We urge everyone to comply with waste disposal regulations and report any collection challenges to LAWMA instead of resorting to illegal dumping,” he said.