Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to deploy 220 additional waste evacuation trucks as part of efforts to strengthen waste management, improve environmental sanitation, and address the growing volume of refuse generated across the state.
Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat disclosed the plan during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin, saying the new trucks would support existing Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators responsible for waste collection.
According to him, the move is aimed at boosting waste evacuation capacity as Lagos continues to experience rapid population growth and increased waste generation.
“The state government will be bringing in another 220 trucks to make sure that we supplement our PSP. What we need our people to also do is to make sure that they patronise their PSP, not the cart pushers, because they are not organised. You don’t know where the waste is ending up,” he said.
Hamzat noted that effective waste disposal remains critical to environmental sustainability, warning that indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage channels and canals could obstruct water flow and increase the risk of flooding.
“A lot of people are coming to Lagos, and therefore they generate waste. So part of what you can see that we are doing is that we are getting many more trucks to actually go and evacuate,” he added.
The deputy governor urged residents to take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean and to embrace approved waste collection services. He also encouraged communities to organise regular sanitation exercises to promote healthier living conditions.
“We cannot be a people without a healthy environment. It doesn’t matter what we do, a cleaner environment is what makes a city or a state sustainable,” Hamzat said.
Also speaking, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said waste management operations across Lagos were improving due to emergency response measures and ongoing support for PSP operators.
He explained that the government had intensified engagement with waste collection companies and intervened in areas facing collection challenges to ensure residents receive better services.
Wahab said Lagos was also shifting from the traditional waste disposal model to a circular waste management system that focuses on waste recovery, recycling and resource utilisation. He noted that material recovery facilities have been established in Badagry and Epe, alongside transfer stations in Soluyi and Olusosun.
The commissioner further expressed concern over the activities of cart pushers, stating that investigations showed some operators dispose of waste in drainage channels and road medians, contributing to environmental pollution and flooding. He added that the government would continue engagement efforts while pursuing sustainable waste management solutions across the state.
