Lagos Residents Demand Action Against Nighttime Waste Dumping

Residents of Lagos State are urging the government to take stronger action against illegal nighttime waste dumping. This comes as the state government steps up waste removal efforts following a new clean-up order from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Sanwo-Olu directed an immediate increase in waste removal operations across the state after complaints about rubbish piling up in many communities.

The governor mentioned that more trucks, workers, and resources have been sent out. He urged the agencies involved to keep up the clean-up work.

In interviews with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, residents acknowledged that waste removal and sanitation have improved. But they also said that illegal dumping at night is still a problem that affects the government's efforts.

Correspondents who looked into the situation in Oshodi, Yaba, and Ketu saw ongoing waste removal in some places. Still, rubbish was visible along several roads and in open areas.

Iya Ibeji, a resident of Oshodi, noted that things are better than before but the problem is not fully solved. "Before now, there was dirt everywhere, but it is not as much as it used to be. The government once cordoned off some areas with ropes before clearing the refuse, and that helped reduce the problem," she explained.

She mentioned that the bad smell from refuse piles is a major issue for residents and business owners. "The smell disturbs us a lot. Customers often refuse to stay around because of the odour. Many people come here and quickly leave without buying anything."

"It is not only Oshodi; even in some of the inner streets, you can still perceive the odour because of the refuse," she added.

According to her, illegal dumping by some residents continues to spoil efforts to keep the environment clean, even with the sanitation fees paid by households. "There was a time we could not trade properly for almost one week because of the smell. The odour affected the business seriously."

"Some people wait until midnight before dumping refuse on the roadside when nobody is watching. By the next morning, the place is filled with dirt again," she said.

A roadside trader known as Mr IK mentioned that rubbish near his shop has lowered the number of customers he gets. "The odour from the refuse has affected my business. Customers come around but often leave quickly because they are uncomfortable with the smell."

He added, "The government has tried to keep the area clean, but some people frustrate those efforts by dumping refuse illegally at night and even defecating on the streets. Such behaviour is unacceptable."

A food seller in the area also said bad waste disposal has hurt her business. "As a food seller, once refuse piles up nearby, flies gather around the area and customers become reluctant to buy food. Many people lose interest as soon as they see the environment. We are only trying to make a living, but some people keep frustrating our efforts," she said.

She asked residents to practice proper waste disposal and cooperate with sanitation workers. "People should call waste management operators to collect their refuse instead of dumping it on the roadside. We all have a responsibility to keep Lagos clean and healthy," she appealed.

In Ketu, environmental officials were seen monitoring waste disposal rules and educating residents about proper waste management. Sunday Bamisaye, an official from the local council, said sanitation has improved a lot since the task force was deployed. "Compared to before, the environment is better now. Some people used to dump refuse inside drainage channels, but now we monitor them closely."

He added, "Whenever we see such practices, we educate them and tell them it is wrong. We want everyone to join hands in keeping Lagos clean."

Bamisaye also noted that the drainage system has improved. "The drainage system is functioning well now. When it rains, the water clears quickly. That was not the case before."

Residents in Ketu had mixed feelings about the situation. Some praised the clean-up efforts and the presence of officials, while others complained about irregular waste collection in some parts of the community.

Some traders claimed that waste collection services have become unreliable. One trader named Faith said that street sweepers are still around, but waste trucks do not come as often as before. "They still come to sweep the roads, but the trucks that used to collect refuse are not coming frequently."

Faith added, "It seems they only collect waste from residents who pay regularly. Most people now rely on cart pushers to dispose of their refuse."

She also mentioned overhearing waste collection officials talk about payment issues while their truck was parked nearby. "The day their truck broke down here, I wanted to throw my waste into it. I overheard some of the officials claim the people in the area were not paying. In our house, we used to pay monthly, but recently we hardly see them again."

The residents are asking the government to strengthen enforcement of sanitation laws and boost public education on proper waste disposal. They believe that continuous waste management efforts and responsible behaviour from residents will lead to better health, more business activities, and a cleaner environment.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has made it clear that there are no plans to transfer enforcement powers of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps to transport union officials.

In a statement on Tuesday, Kunle Adeshina, the ministry’s spokesperson, said that the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said recent talks with transport unions were just to improve environmental compliance in parks, garages, and bus stops.

Wahab said, "The State Government’s engagement with transport unions is aimed at fostering collaboration, promoting shared responsibility, and ensuring improved cleanliness and proper waste management within their respective parks and garages."

He emphasized that LAGESC, also known as KAI, together with the Lagos State Special Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, remains the official enforcement body for the ministry.

"The Kick Against Indiscipline, or LAGESC, in collaboration with the Lagos State Special Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, remains the duly empowered environmental enforcement arm of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and will not abdicate its responsibilities."

Wahab noted that environmental issues still exist in transport hubs, including illegal trading and improper waste disposal. "As we are all aware, several environmental challenges persist within parks, garages and the public transportation ecosystem, including illegal trading activities and the indiscriminate disposal of refuse on road medians and within transport facilities," he said.

The commissioner urged residents to ignore what he called misleading reports and assured them that keeping the environment clean is a top priority for the state government.