Following growing concerns over persistent waste management crisis in Lagos State, Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has wielded a big stick as he sacked the incumbent Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority(LAWMA) Muyiwa Gbagesin and replaced him with Dr Hassan Sanuth, reports thegazellenews.com
It was gathered that the latest developments comes amid claims that Gbadegesin, was asked to resign following dissatisfaction with the accumulation of refuse on major roads, residential streets and drainage channels.
However, as at press time, relevant state authorities had yet to officially confirm the development.
It was also gathered that Sanwo-Olu was unhappy with the slow pace of waste evacuation despite repeated directives to improve collection across Lagos.
Before his reported appointment, Sanuth served as Director of Sanitation Services in the Office of Environmental Services, under the Ministry of the Environment situation as “embarrassing”.
During the visit, the Governor ordered urgent measures to address the problem, directed a comprehensive review of LAWMA’s management andoperational structures, and declared a state of emergency on waste management.
Accompanied by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Sanwo-Olu also met with stakeholders in the waste management sector at the dumpsite to examine the challenges affecting municipal waste collection and discuss immediate, medium-term and long-term solutions.
The Governor, who acknowledged delays in waste evacuation, attributing part of the problem to the failure of Private Sector Participation, PSP, operators to fulfil their responsibilities in the weeks preceding the visit, further disclosed that waste compaction was ongoing at the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites, noting that completing the work would improve.
According to the Governor, recent fire incidents at the facilities had disrupted operations. However, he said activities had resumed, with contractors working to prepare the sites for regular waste disposal.
He added that completing the projects would allow each dumpsite to accommodate about 450 trucks of municipal waste daily, effectively doubling the waste-handling capacity of PSP operators.
