Hauwa Ali
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As Lagos State strive to achieve ‘Megacity’ status, the problem of indiscriminate waste dumping at roadsides and other unauthorized spots around the city continue to threaten this dream as there seem to be no end to the menace.
Ajah, a city in-between Lekki and Ibeju-Lekki is still seen littered with waste by the roadside, an eyesaw for an area which is now considered among the high brow in the state because of the huge development that has taken place there.
NatureNews reports that heaps Of wastes were found around Ilaje area of the city just after the flyover leading to Victoria Garden city, a spot which has become like a permanent spot for waste disposal and this is just by the side of the major road.
According to some roadside traders, even when the dirt’s are packed, people still drop wastes there again, making it like a permanent spot.
It is no longer unusual to find household waste distastefully disposed on street corners, road medians and drainage channels from Badore to Addo to Sangotedo, spreading across all the residential and commercial areas within the Ajah metropolis.
The Lagos State Government has times without number, declared total intolerance of illegal and reckless waste disposal in unauthorized areas hence the return of the Lagos state Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) who is responsible for the collection of waste in the state but the ugly situation still occur.
Speaking to some business owners in Ajah, they explained that some residents bring their refuse from home and dump by the roadside too, and the roadside sellers too drop their wastes there after cleaning their spaces.
“The Government needs to do something fast about this by cleaning up the roads and punishing anyone seen disposing waste because I do not know why people would dispose refuse in such a wrong manner.” a passerby who did not say her name said.
The roadside traders appealed that the government station more waste bins and workers on the road so that the state can be free from dirt while creating awareness to citizens on the dangers of unlawful dumping of dirt.
“ it is because there’s no enforcement that’s why you see people don’t care and since the bin is not close by, people look for short cut.” A trader simply called Ronke said.
Waste problem has turned many parts of the metropolis into an eyesore, thus putting a question mark on the claim that the state is a centre of excellence, a megacity in the making. Indeed in spite of repeated warnings against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the different measures adopted by government to curb the menace, it continues all year round.
Although LAWMA in an effort to curb indiscriminate disposal of waste has orders that every household owns atleast a bin by January 2023, some unanswered questions are still trouble many residents.
Many residents complain that the Private Sector Partnership (PSP) don’t come to their streets anymore.
“ like we now, at Diamond estate, PSP don’t come again o. Even when they used to come, it’s like once in 2months and we’ll have piles of robbish littered around our house. The time they come around, they won’t wait for us. They’d just be moving and horning and you see people running after them with their wastes. So I’ve stoped patronizing them, I just find a way to get my waste to the main road so that the lawma people will pick them.” A Bogije resident who not to mention her name said.
Another resident of Oribanwa, Chioma Azunna said: “ Here at Oribanwa and Eputu, there’s nothing like PSP. They don’t even come around at all. I’ve never seen them in the 4yrs I came to this area. If the government is asking us to get a bin, how will the bin be emptied when it becomes full? Now we tie our waste in bags and transport it to the major road where there is a LAWMA bin, carrying a big bin to go and empty there won’t be easy.”
The coming of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration raised hope in many quarters that the problem would soon be a thing of the past based on the fact that achieving a cleaner Lagos was one of the cardinal points of its T.H.E.M.E. Agenda. But here we are, still battling indiscriminate refuse dumping at road medians, roadsides, bus stops and other unauthorised places around the metropolis after 3years of his administration.
LAWMA must urgently address the problem of indiscriminate dumping of refuse by providing more refuse bin at closer range to people and street traders to prevent street corners of the city, major highways, road medians and drainage channels across the city to be filled with wastes.
LAWMA must ensure PSP covers every area in the state to prevent indiscriminate dumping of refuse because the truth is, people must find ways to dispose off their waste.
While Lagos State is a lot better from where it’s coming from in terms of infrastructure and development, the government must ensure the state does not return to the dark days it was plagued by refuse and was regarded as one of the dirtiest cities in the world.
