By Monsuru Olowoopejo
After recording seven additional coronavirus cases in Lagos, the state government has banned scavengers that sort waste from visiting any of its dumpsites in the state.
The State Government added that the new measure, banning scavengers who have served as agents to recycling firms, was a preventive strategy outlined by medical experts to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Announcing the ban, Managing Director of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, in a statement made available to The Guild on Sunday, stressed that the move was also to prevent violation of the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s restricting on large gathering in the state.
Gbadegesin stated that the impact their activities could have on health and safety of Lagos residents was thoroughly considered since personal hygiene was also rated as the most important preventive mechanism to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the state.
He said: “Further to the preventive measures already outlined by the Authority to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and following on from the State Government’s latest guidance banning large gatherings of people, it has become imperative to halt scavenging activities on all LAWMA dumpsites with immediate effect.
“This decision was borne out of the urgent need to protect the health and safety of Lagosians considering that personal hygiene is the most important preventive mechanism for the spread of the COVID-19 virus and this clearly cannot be guaranteed on a dumpsite.
“Henceforth, no persons will be allowed on any of our site/s to carry out any form of scavenging activity and any violators will be prosecuted.
“In order to cushion the impact on their livelihoods, scavengers will be fully incorporated into the community recycling centers being set up by the state government.
“LAWMA wishes to assure the public that we will continue to closely monitor events and make appropriate and lifesaving adjustment/s in line with global, federal and state government guidelines”.
