The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to deploy 150 public toilets to tackle the menace of open defecation across the state.
According to the government, this move is part of its broader efforts to eradicate open defecation and promote good hygiene and sanitation practices among residents.
This announcement comes as a response to the trending slogan “Lagos is smelling” which was pioneered by Ushie Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) member, serving in Eti-Rosa Local Government Council.
During an interview on a popular television program on Monday, the Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, refuted claims that the state is plagued with persistent odors asserting I don’t believe in that narrative.
According to Wahab, the state is taking a multifaceted approach to address the challenges of waste management in the state, particularly the dump site around the Ikeja and Igodun axis, where efforts are being made to minimize the amount of waste disposed there.
The commissioner, who pointed out that the state generates 13,000 to 14,000 tons of waste daily, stated that to reduce this to the barest minimum, the government is adopting a holistic approach that involves minimizing waste generation, segregating waste, and promoting a culture of waste disposal.
The government’s strategy according to him, includes segregating waste, composting organic waste, recycling plastics, and promoting a waste-to-wealth initiative.
This approach, said Wahab is expected to significantly reduce the amount of waste generated in the state, to reduce the daily waste generation to less than 500 tons.
“we have PSP for almost 2 decades, with the PSP arrangement, we allowed the private sector to come and invest in waste collection success. LAWMA will be the regulator but we also realized that there’s challenges in the PSP people don’t like paying for charges., they rather free ride the system.
” if you don’t like the area where the bin dump is kindly inform LAWMA, they have over 200 trucks that will intervene, they will cart away the waste and then investigate “.
Regarding the issue of inadequate drainage systems and indiscriminate waste disposal in markets, Wahab noted that the government is collaborating with local government areas (LGAs) to address these challenges through advocacy and public awareness campaigns.
The commissioner, meanwhile, cautioned residents against violating environmental laws, including improper refuse disposal, warning that “there are consequences attached to bad behavior; if you engage in illegal dumping, we will prosecute you and allow the courts to determine the severity of your offense.
