Olusosun landfill: LAWMA repairs access road to tackle waste crisis

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The Lagos Waste Management Authority has repaired a major access road within the Olusosun Landfill in Ojota as part of efforts to improve waste disposal operations and tackle the backlog of refuse across the state.

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The Managing Director of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed this on Tuesday during an inspection of the repaired Road E and E2 platforms at the Olusosun Landfill in Ojota.

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According to him, the project was executed by ZoomLion Nigeria Limited as part of its corporate social responsibility and would improve access to the landfill while supporting ongoing waste management operations in the state.

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“We’re here today at the Olusosun Landfill. What has been achieved today is the repair of Road E and two of the platforms on a corporate social responsibility basis by ZoomLion Nigeria Limited.

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“They are our partners constructing the transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities that will be operational in a few months,” he said.

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Gbadegesin clarified that contrary to public speculation, the Olusosun landfill had not been shut down, explaining that the state was only gradually winding down operations while creating additional space for waste disposal.

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“We announced that we were winding down activities, but the site has not been closed. What we’ve done here is reclaim a portion so that we can continue disposing of waste as we gradually phase out operations.

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“This will also help us clear the waste backlog on our roads because it is not a good thing for us to have waste on the roads,” he said.

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Gbadegesin attributed the state’s waste management challenges not only to access to disposal sites but also to residents’ waste disposal habits and the failure of some residents to pay their Private Sector Participant operators for waste collection.

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“A lot of the challenge is also our behaviour as a people. If residents do not pay their PSP operators on time, how are they expected to buy diesel, maintain their trucks and pay their workers?” he said.

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He added that the state government was investing in transfer loading stations, material recovery facilities, waste-to-energy plants and biogas plants to improve waste management and cater to the state’s growing population.

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Speaking on the persistent refuse on Lagos roads, Gbadegesin urged residents to embrace proper waste disposal practices.

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“Lagos will be free from dirt when Lagosians decide that Lagos will be free from dirt. If everyone stops dumping refuse on the roadside and hands it over to their PSP operators, then we won’t have this problem.

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“If you experience delays in waste collection, report it directly to LAWMA. Don’t bring your waste to the roadside. Once we all play our part, we will stop having waste on our roads,” he advised.

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Also speaking, the national president of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Lagos Branch, Olugbenga Adebola, described the development as a major boost to waste management in the state.

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He said the repaired access road would improve movement to disposal sites and enhance door-to-door waste collection.

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“We are very happy, and we hope this will be sustained. The ongoing crisis has been largely about access to disposal sites, and I believe this will give us some leverage.

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“Once the transfer loading station comes on stream, we can return to effective door-to-door waste collection.

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“We also appreciate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ZoomLion Nigeria Limited, LAWMA and the Ministry of the Environment for this partnership.

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“We want to assure Lagosians that with this development, there will be some level of improvement in door-to-door waste collection,” he said.

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