Good News as LAWMA Finally Clears Waste at Oyingbo Market

Residents, traders, and commuters around Oyingbo Market in Yaba, Lagos State, felt relieved on Monday as officials from the Lagos Waste Management Authority started removing piles of refuse that had built up in the market for weeks.

During a visit by PUNCH Metro, LAWMA officials were seen loading large amounts of waste into trucks while sanitation workers cleaned up the dumps that had become a serious environmental and health issue.

This cleanup followed many complaints from traders and residents about the overflowing waste. The refuse had been generating bad odors, attracting flies, and disrupting business in one of Lagos’ busiest food markets.

Ige Oluwaseun, a resident, told PUNCH Metro that the refuse had been in the area for about 28 days after the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. "The refuse has been here since after the Ileya festival. Today makes it 28 days that this heap has been here. They packed it before, but the day after Ileya, the refuse started piling up again."

He added, "The dirt is affecting us badly. We cannot breathe properly, and it is affecting our health. Sometimes we even pick the refuse ourselves because we are tired. But we thank God they are here again to clear it. Maybe now we can finally breathe fresh air because we are tired of wearing face masks all the time."

A commuter named Adewale Ayomide said the evacuation was long overdue. He urged LAWMA to keep up regular waste collection. "This place has been smelling for weeks, and everybody passing through here has been complaining. We are happy LAWMA has finally come, but they should not stop halfway. If they evacuate the refuse regularly, it won’t accumulate like this again."

Trader Lateef Adeleye shared that the market has faced ongoing refuse buildup for about three months due to irregular collections. "We have been experiencing this for about three months. They come to pack part of it and leave, and then it piles up again. I believe people from other places also dump refuse here."

He continued, "I wish the government would provide waste bins for other parts of Yaba instead of everyone bringing their refuse here. LAWMA just needs to be consistent. If they come here every day, it will be much better for this market."

Another trader, Bisola Gbadamosi, pointed out that the market’s role as a main food trading spot added to the quick increase in organic waste. "LAWMA came here on Saturday too, but after they packed it, the refuse started increasing again because everybody dumps waste here. This is a food market, so the smell is terrible."

She added, "I don’t know whether the place where LAWMA disposes of the waste is already full, but I am happy they are clearing it again."

Peter Alabi, a LAWMA truck driver involved in the cleanup, said more equipment had been sent to make sure the refuse was completely cleared. "We just got here about 30 minutes ago. We come here every day, and another truck is on its way because this one cannot carry all the refuse."

He noted, "I don’t know exactly what caused the refuse to pile up. This is a market, so there will always be waste. The information I have is that LAWMA is sending a caterpillar here. They are working in another location, and once they finish there, they will come here to complete the evacuation."

This cleanup comes at a time when waste management in Lagos is under more scrutiny. Reports show that refuse has been piling up in several areas of the state despite ongoing sanitation efforts by LAWMA.

In recent weeks, PUNCH Metro reported similar complaints from residents and traders in places like Oshodi, where piles of refuse raised health concerns and led to calls for more regular waste collection.

The effort at Oyingbo is expected to reduce environmental worries in the market. Still, residents say consistent and timely waste collection is the only true solution.