LAWMA ACADEMY CONCLUDES 2024 SUMMER SCHOOL

… As Program Empowers Young Eco-Warriors in Lagos

The LAWMA Academy has concluded its 2024 summer school program, a comprehensive initiative designed to educate pupils on effective waste management and recycling practices.

The four-week intensive course, which was held at LAWMA’s headquarters in Ijora-Olopa, saw participation of pupils across various schools in Lagos State.

In his address at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, represented by Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, Executive Director of Finance, expressed satisfaction with the performance of kids who participated in the program, while encouraging them to apply their newly acquired knowledge in their daily lives.

He said, “I am thrilled with your performance during this training. I urge you to go out there and share what you have learned with others. You must put these lessons into practice by properly sorting your waste and utilising recycling materials to create useful items.”

He emphasised the importance of the pupils becoming ambassadors for waste management, adding “Wherever you find yourselves, remember that you now carry the responsibility of promoting good waste management practices”.

Head of LAWMA Academy, Mrs. Bola Adewumi, urged the participants to make good use of their new knowledge to promote sustainable living in their communities.

Highlights of the event included awards for outstanding students from the primary and secondary categories.

The pupils, as well as the August LAWMA Academy interns, named team SSS (Sustainable Solution Squad), showcased projects and innovations developed during the program, demonstrating their grasp of waste management concepts and their potential to drive positive change in their various communities.

The summer school curriculum covered topics such as waste segregation, recycling techniques, and the environmental impact of proper waste management. Participants also engaged in hands-on activities and practical sessions, leaving them with a sound knowledge of sustainable waste practices.


Kadiri Folashade (Mrs.)
Director, Public Affairs
29/08/2024

LAWMA ACADEMY INTERNS SENSITISE OTTO COMMUNITY

In continuation of the community sanitation and advocacy campaign recently kicked off by the state government, LAWMA Academy interns, the 34th set, also known as Team Eco Resilience, on Wednesday, sensitised residents of Otto Community, Lagos Mainland, on the the need to imbibe proper waste management.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, represented by the Executive Director, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, told residents to make personal hygiene and proper waste management, a way of life.

He said the task of ensuring a clean environment was not LAWMA’s alone, but a collective responsibility, adding that residents should get covered bins for disposal of their waste, to avoid the spread of diseases.

Gbadegesin also invited interested youths in Otto community, to register as interns at LAWMA Academy, noting that, “When graduate youths from the community register as interns, they can spread awareness about what they have learned. Various opportunities now exist in waste management. To benefit, we must open our eyes to the possibilities around us.”

In his response, the CDA chairman of Otto community and CDC chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Saloko Muiz Babatunde, implored residents in the area, to join the weekly clean-up exercise, to be organised by the community, warning that those  who failed to join would be sanctioned.

Representative of the Oloto of Otto Community, Prince Fuhad Oloto and chief of staff to Oloto, Honourable Akeem Esuru-osho, pledged support for LAWMA and compliance with environmental regulations.

In a related development, traders of United Amu Market have taken it upon themselves to clean up their business premises, in response to last Sunday’s sanitation awareness effort at Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro, by officials of the Lagos State Government.

Reacting to this, LAWMA Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, commended the traders for their sense of responsibility towards their environment, urging other markets in the state to take a cue from that, and observe proper sanitation and hygiene around their business facilities.

“Achieving a clean and livable city of our dreams requires everyone to play their own part, we cannot afford to watch the beauty of the state erode due to indiscriminate refuse dumping and nonchalant attitude. The environment is ours to cherish and preserve. Let’s keep Lagos clean”, he said.

You would recall that some officials of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and LAWMA, including the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, last Sunday, visited Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro, Mushin, for a comprehensive community-based sanitation/ sensitisation exercise.

For more information on LAWMA’s initiatives, please visit www.lawma.gov.ng or call our toll-free numbers: 080000LAWMA (08000052962), 07080601020 and 617.

Kadiri Folashade (Mrs.)

Director, Public Affairs

24/07/2024

LAWMA ACADEMY COMMENCES JULY INTERNSHIP

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), has welcomed new graduate interns to the July edition of its internship program, aimed at promoting waste management education among the younger generation.

Managing Director and CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, speaking about the program, emphasised the importance of engaging young minds in the business of creating a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Lagos environment, especially as the state tackles cholera outbreak.

He said, “Our internship program is designed to equip the younger generation with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective waste management and environmental preservation. At LAWMA, we believe education is key to achieving our aim of entrenching proper waste management as a lifestyle”.

Dr. Gbadegesin noted that the hands-on experience provided by LAWMA would enable the interns to understand the complexities and challenges of waste management operations, adding that the training would help them become environmental stewards, positively influencing others.

“Our interns will be exposed to various aspects of LAWMA’s operations, from waste collection and disposal to recycling and public education campaigns. With these, they will gain practical insights and develop innovative solutions to waste management issues”, he stated.

The Director of LAWMA Academy, Training and Development, Mrs. Bola Adewunmi, who welcomed the new set of graduate interns, briefed them on the nature of the four-week program, which included theoretical lessons, practical sessions, and field visits, for exposure to the fundamentals of waste management and diverse LAWMA operations.

In a related development, the academy has extended its environmental cleanliness education drive to schools in Agege and Ajeromi Ifelodun local government areas, teaching the pupils, basic waste management practices, recycling, fostering a positive relationship with the environment, and the negative impact of banned Styrofoam packs.

For more information about LAWMA’s initiatives and how to support efforts to maintain a clean environment, please visit www.lawma.gov.ng or call our toll-free numbers: 080000LAWMA (08000052962), 07080601020 and 617.

Kadiri Folashade (Mrs.)

Director, Public Affairs

02/07/2024

LAWMA Welcomes April Interns  

LAWMA Academy, the educational arm of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, has welcomed a fresh set of candidates, for its one-month internship for the month of April.

The interns were all recent graduates of various universities in the country, across different academic disciplines.

Addressing the interns, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, congratulated them for making the internship programme, as it would assist them, to learn as much as possible about waste management and inherent benefits.

He noted that waste was really not waste but resource, urging them to embrace the business opportunities offered by the circular economy value chain, where so-called waste becomes wealth and blessing, to individuals, society and the environment.

According to him, “This internship will go a long way in exposing you to the positive and rewarding side of waste management. I am sure you are aware that nothing is a waste until you waste them. What used to be waste is now a resource that can be harvested to make money and improve lives. Indeed, it’s a long value-chain you can tap into, depending on your area of interest. It is a promising and highly rewarding venture.”

Speaking further, the LAWMA boss urged them to pay good attention to the practical aspects of their training and arm themselves with determination, to become change agents and champions of environmental sustainability.

Speaking in the same vein, the Executive Director of LAWMA, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, urged the interns to maximize the knowledge gained, to leverage their areas of interest along the value-chain, for personal enterprise and good reward.

He said, “This is a good opportunity for you to acquire knowledge and make money from modern waste management initiatives. What is important for you here, is to pay attention to the various things you will be taught, so that you can decide where to key in, for future enterprise and handsome financial rewards”.

Similarly, LAWMA Academy had last month ran a one-month internship programme for some graduate and post-graduate candidates, representing the first batch of interns for this year. The candidates who enjoyed in-depth training in modern waste management from various departments of the agency, received completion certificates, after presenting their group final project, an illustrative diagram on circular economy, relating to manufacturing industries, to the LAWMA boss.

LAWMA Academy, has since the beginning of this year, taken environmental advocacy to more than 5,000 pupils of public schools across the state, in Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Mushin, Ijora –Olopa,   Agege, Victoria Island, and other areas.

The pupils were enlightened on LAWMA’s diverse operations, effects of indiscriminate waste dumping, making money from recyclables, usage of trash bags and cans, shunning cart pushers and the need to patronise assigned PSP operators.

The founding objective was to expand the frontiers of knowledge on waste management, by teaching it as much as possible, to the younger generation for new cultural orientation and perception of waste management, for environmental sustainability. It is the basis for stretching the dragnets to bring in as many young people as possible into the fold, to form the vanguard of environment ambassadors, for a new culture and orientation, for a people-friendly environment.

LAWMA Academy Internship, is a monthly programme of environmental and waste management education, for willing candidates.

Folashade Kadiri (Mrs.)

Director, Public Affairs

LAWMA

13th April, 2024.

LAWMA Academy Reaches Over 4,258 Pupils Through School Advocacy

PRESS RELEASE

The educational arm of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA Academy, has sensitised over 4,258 pupils of various public schools across the state, since its school enlightenment/advocacy programme began last month.

This was disclosed by LAWMA’s Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, following the visitation of the school advocacy team to schools at Eti-Osa.

Represented by the director, LAWMA Academy, Training and Development, Mrs. Bola Adewunmi, the LAWMA boss noted that the initiative was aimed at imparting waste management education in children for environmental sustainability.

He said further that the agency had utilised interactive sessions, educational materials, and engaging activities to educate pupils on waste segregation, recycling, composting, and the importance of keeping their environment clean.

He said, “Equipping young minds with the knowledge and skills to champion environmental sustainability is crucial. Through LAWMA Academy, we are engaging future generations to actively participate in responsible waste management, fostering positive change within their communities.”

“Incorporating environmental education into school curricula is vital. LAWMA Academy’s program provides valuable resources and fosters a sense of responsibility among students, making them active contributors to a cleaner and healthier Lagos”, he stressed.

The LAWMA Academy is an initiative of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and education, among the younger generation to become active participants in responsible waste management, for a cleaner and healthier Lagos city.

For more inquiries about LAWMA Academy, call our toll-free numbers: 080000LAWMA (08000052962), 07080601020 and 617 or send an email to info@lawma.gov.ng

Kadiri Folashade (Mrs.)

Director, Public Affairs

08/02/2024

LAWMA ACADEMY ORGANISES SUMMER SCHOOL FOR PUPILS

LAWMA Academy, the educational arm of Lagos Waste Management Authority, has organised a four-week summer school, for children aged 8 to 12, with the aim of teaching the younger generation the fundamentals of effective waste management. The four-week programme began on 31st July 31, 2023, at the Authority’s headquarters, Ijora-Olopa.

Commenting on the programme, the managing director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, noted that the summer school was organised to educate the younger generation, on the need to imbibe the culture of proper waste management, to teach arts and crafts, upcycling, as well as expose them to indoor and outdoor sports, field trips, among other activities.

He said,
“The Summer School programme is designed to educate children from the tender age on the concept of waste management and environmental sanitation, raising ambassadors for a cleaner and healthier environment with seasoned facilitators in a conducive learning environment. This will serve to train youngsters as conscientious environmental activists while also providing other enjoyable learning opportunities.”

Dr. Gbadegesin advised parents and guardians to always take advantage of the extended school holiday to enroll their children and wards in the summer school, adding that those who could not participate physically could join online.

The Academy’s team lead, Mrs. Elizabeth Ademola, noted that the summer school was designed to simplify the concept of waste and environmental management for children, to ensure that each child had sufficient and holistic knowledge of environmental sustainability practices.

Since inception, hundreds of pupils in the state have benefited from the LAWMA Academy’s summer school, acquiring essential waste management and environmental knowledge in the process. This year’s summer school is the third edition.