A Lagos mobile court at Bolade Oshodi, headed by magistrate T. O. Fashina, has jailed for three months (3-months) a 32 year old environmental offender, Abubakar Sanni, who posed under the guise of cart pushing, to vandalise and steal iron rods at Karim Kotun area of Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, made this known on Saturday, following the apprehension and prosecution of the cart pusher.
He said, “The Authority wants to make it clear that cart pushing remains outlawed in the state. The menace of cart pushers has led to the rise of indiscriminate waste disposal, coupled with the fact that criminal elements now hide under it to perpetuate their crimes”.
Odumboni noted that the Authority, since the inception of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, had introduced various programmes and initiatives aimed at making Lagos cleaner and livable for all, as well as empowering PSP operators, to effectively discharge their statutory duties.
“Since the present administration assumed office, we have taken definite steps towards addressing waste management challenges in the state. One of such was, absorbing many of the outlawed cart pushers into the business of recycling, so as to preserve their livelihood. However, this magnanimous gesture of government shouldn’t be taken for granted,” he stated.
The LAWMA boss reminded the general public of the current offensive on all forms of environmental infractions, adding that the agency would not fold its hands and watch some people destroy efforts targeted at making the environment in the state a sustainably cleaner one, adding that anyone caught contravening the Environmental Laws would face the full wrath of the law.
“Our enforcement team has been repositioned to monitor the environment across the metropolis and ensure that environmental defaulters are arrested and prosecuted. Currently, some offenders have been arrested and prosecuted for various infractions. This will serve as a deterrent to those bent on eroding the recent gains made on environment,” he said.
Odumboni renewed his plea for environmental friendliness, urging residents to embrace the culture of bagging and containerising their waste, and patronising assigned PSP operators instead of cart pushers, who engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse at road medians, canals and other unauthorised locations.
Residents were also admonished to call LAWMA toll-free lines 07080601020 and 617, for all complaints and inquiries on waste management related matters in their area.
Folashade Kadiri (Mrs.) Director, Public Affairs 21/05/2022
The Managing Director/CEO, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni led senior staff of LAWMA, to the clean-up and adoption of Oniru Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, by Sterling One Foundation.
The event was organized by the Foundation and HRM Abisogun II Foundation (HAIIF), to commemorate the 2022 Global Recycling Day, themed: “Recycling Fraternity”.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines, the LAWMA boss charged individuals and corporate organizations, to take responsibility for the environment through waste sorting at source and not wait for government, to drive the effort towards a cleaner environment.
He further urged residents and beach users, to come together and make a difference, by leaving an enduring legacy of people-friendly environment, for improved living and economic prosperity, adding that beach clean-up was the first step in ensuring that coastal areas were clean.
In her address, the convener of the event, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, disclosed that in the last one year, Sterling One Foundation had adopted four beaches including Alpha, Eleko, Lafiaji and Ibereko. The objective, according to her, was to care for life outside water and under water, as well as empower people through the recycling value chain.
Chief Olumide Oniru, the Olopon of Iruland, who represented the His Royal Majesty, Oba Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II, the Oniru of Iru Land, disclosed that no less than 1,000 trees had been planted around the kingdom in recent times, adding that youths had been recruited as environmental champions, to raise awareness on the prevention of plastic pollution.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Bolaji Gaji, who represented the commissioner, Mr. Tunji Bello, stressed that the ministry had adopted single use plastic policy, urging Lagosians to commit to waste sorting at source, to limit plastic pollution.
The gathering included many dignitaries, including the commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf; General Manager LASEPA, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; General Manager LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel; managing director of Waste Exchange Limited, Mr. Taiwo Adewole and senior LAWM Staff.
Folashade Kadiri Director, Public Affairs 19th March, 2022
Rep of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Tunji Bello (2nd Left); SA to the Governor on Drainage Services, Mr Joe Igbokwe (L); MD. FCMB, Mrs. Yemi Edun (3rd left); MD/CEO, LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni (3rd right); PS. Office of the Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji (2nd right); and President, AWAMN, Mr. David Oriyomi (r), during the unveiling of the smart waste bins for ‘Adopt-A-Bin’ project, at the LAWMA Simpson Transfer Loading Station (TLS), Sura, Lagos, on Wednesday, 23rd February, 2022.Rep of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Tunji Bello (2nd Left); SA to the Governor on Drainage Services, Mr Joe Igbokwe (L); MD. FCMB, Mrs. Yemi Edun (3rd left); MD/CEO, LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni (3rd right); PS. Office of the Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji (2nd right); and President, AWAMN, Mr. David Oriyomi (r), during the unveiling of the smart waste bins for ‘Adopt-A-Bin’ project, at the LAWMA Simpson Transfer Loading Station (TLS), Sura, Lagos, on Wednesday, 23rd February, 2022.Rep of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Tunji Bello (2nd Left); SA to the Governor on Drainage Services, Mr Joe Igbokwe (L); MD/CEO, LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni (2nd right); and PS. Office of the Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji (r), during the unveiling of the smart waste bins for ‘Adopt-A-Bin’ project, at the LAWMA Simpson Transfer Loading Station (TLS), Sura, Lagos, on Wednesday, 23rd February, 2022.The Bins
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday unveiled the Adopt-a-Bin programme with an initial 40,000 standard bins deployed to households and commercial entities.
The Adopt-A-Bin Programme is carefully designed to promote effective waste management in the state, with emphasis on waste sorting right at the point of generation.
Speaking at the launch of the Adopt-a-Bin programme at Simpson Transfer Loading Station on Lagos Island, Sanwo-Olu said the gospel of waste sorting at source, is now gaining ground as individual pickers of recyclable items were increasing by the day and recycling firms springing up.
According to the governor, who was represented by the Commissioner of the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, “Today, we are at the threshold of another phase, in our Lagos Recycle Initiative, as we launch standard waste bins, for the “Adopt -a- Bin” project, which is LAWMA’s latest baby. The bins which come in two colours; the green for general waste and the blue for recyclable items, are for containerizing waste.
“These are not ordinary bins; but smart ones, built to last, and in accordance with internationally recognized quality standards. They are fitted with intelligent devices that enable tracking and identification. These unique devices also make it possible to register every single bin to individual addresses, for easy communication on issues relating to them.”
He said at the inception of his administration, they had a clear road-map of the journey to a cleaner Lagos city with sustainable environment, adding that in accordance with that road map, government had systematically unfolded its plans and strategies, one initiative after another, like the procurement of the 102 trucks and double dino bins; launch of Lagos Recycle Initiative, and now formally bringing “Adopt-a-Bin” project to life for homes, offices, churches, mosques, among others.
Sanwo-Olu said the whole essence of the standard waste bins was to simplify the process of waste management from the source.
“When you acquire the bins, you simply sort your waste and drop all recyclable items like cans, plastic, cartons, water sachet, etc. in the blue bin; while you drop the general waste in the green bin. The stability of those bins ensures easy handling by the waste collectors, who come around periodically, to empty them.
“While the PSP operators show up to empty the green bins, the recyclers come around for the blue, containing the recyclable items, which are weighed and recorded, until you are ready for redemption in cash or kind,” he said.
The governor appealed to corporate bodies, to incorporate in their Corporate Social Responsibilities, CSR initiatives, the adoption of communities, especially, low-income areas, for mass provision of the waste bins, while urging all residents, markets, schools, hospitals, among others, to play their own individual roles, towards achieving a constantly clean city scape and sustainable environment.
Managing Director/CEO, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Ibrahim Odumboni, stated that without any doubt, the launch of the Adopt-a-Bin Programme, would move the government closer to its vision of establishing an environment-friendly state, through best waste management practices.
“To effectively execute the project, we will be putting an initial 40,000 standard bins to households and commercial entities. The 240-litre bins, in green and blue colours, would be used for general waste and for recyclable items. They are smart and equipped with intelligent devices that enable tracking and identification.
“Among the several benefits of the standard bins are: safe containerization of waste; easy evacuation; reduction in the harmful activities of pests; as well as reduced city flooding among others. Waste management has gone beyond just picking up refuse and dumping them in the landfills, which are currently overstretched, going by the huge volumes of wastes being generated around the city on a daily basis,” he stated,
Odumboni added that the Adopt-a-Bin programme would promote sorting of waste at source, a key ingredient in the state government’s recycling and circular economy drive.
“People should know the economic value of what they call “waste” because it’s not waste until you waste it. I must add that plans have been concluded come 1st of April, 2022, organized Estates and Commercial facilities would continue to pay the same amount of their waste bill should they separate their waste from source.
“In the same vein, should they fail to separate from source, their bill would be reviewed upward by 15% to accommodate the fee for sorting at the point of disposal,” he stated.
The LAWMA boss emphasised that this became necessary for them to support the drive and initiative of separating waste from source, “as we cannot continue to endanger our environment. Any estate and commercial premises that do this would be certified as compliant and environmentally friendly.”
Odumboni also appealed to corporate bodies for their CSR to adopt whole communities, especially low-income ones, for mass provision of the standard bins, as he had no doubt that this initiative would help the government achieve the environment of its dreams, which is a cleaner, healthier and livable Lagos.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the MD First City Merchant Bank (FCMD), Mrs. Yemisi Edun; president of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Mr. David Oriyomi; rep of Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Agharese Onaghise; and others.
Also in attendance were the permanent secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji; SA to the governor on Drainage Services, Mr. Joe Igbokwe; representative of the oba of Lagos, HRM. Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, Chief Ismail Folaji; and the management of LAWMA, among others.
LAGOS FIRST LADY, LAWMA MD INSPECT ‘ADOPT-A-BIN’ SHOWROOM, MEDICAL WASTE FACILITY
The Managing Director/CEO, Lagos Waste Management Authority, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, on the 7th of February, 2022, showing the Lagos State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, round the medical waste facility and the bins’ showroom, for “Adopt-A-Bin” project, at LAWMA’s Simpson Transfer Loading Station (TLS), Lagos island.
The bins which came in green and blue colours, are for LAWMA’s strategic recycling campaign for residents to containerize their waste.
With the Managing Director/CEO are; LAWMA’s Executive Director Finance, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi ; Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Olorunwa Tijani; Director, Public Affairs, Mrs. Folashade Kadiri; Wastecare Solutions team, led by the MD/CEO. Wastecare Solutions, Mr. Oluwole Shitta-Bey, and others.
