The Lagos State Government has declared zero tolerance for indiscriminate waste dumping on roads across the state and announced plans to establish a “Waste Police” to strengthen environmental sanitation efforts.
The move follows a directive by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the emergency evacuation of waste from roads and public spaces across Lagos.
As part of the initiative, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), in collaboration with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), have agreed to ensure that roads, motor parks, and garages are kept clean at all times.
Speaking at a meeting held at the Ministry of Transportation on Saturday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said transport unions must take responsibility for maintaining cleanliness in their parks and garages, urging them to discourage indiscriminate trading and improper waste disposal within their areas of operation.
Osiyemi disclosed that the ministry would begin enforcement activities to ensure that motor parks and garages are properly maintained and that waste is disposed of in designated locations.
Emphasising that roads are not refuse dumps, the commissioner revealed that the state government would establish a Waste Police unit comprising members of transport unions across all local government areas, adding that the unit will monitor motor parks and surrounding areas to prevent indiscriminate waste dumping and promote compliance with sanitation regulations.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sam Egube, noted that road transport operators in many parts of the world work closely with governments to monitor and protect transport infrastructure.
He therefore called on all stakeholders to support the government’s efforts and work collectively to address the challenge of waste disposal across the state.
