Sanwo-Olu charges Lagosians on waste bills

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has charged Lagosians to ensure that they pay their waste bills as at when due, stating that it’s only by doing so the PSP Operators can enhance and make other investments in the sector.

The governor, who was speaking at the unveiling of 102 new compactor trucks and 100 Double Dino bins, which the State Government presented to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in Lagos, called on the people of Lagos to continue to co-operate and collaborate with their individual PSP Operators by paying their waste bills regularly,

“Let me say that we should at all times co-operate and collaborate with the PSP operators as partners, it is only when we understand that we are both partners that the operators are able to carry out efficient and effective waste management system and enjoy collecting the waste.

“It is an important sector, particularly now that we are in a different time, an era of climate change with all sorts of emissions.

“As a government, we are committed to doing our very best but as citizens, you have to partner with us to see that it is a win-win situation,” the governor pleaded, stating that solid waste management remains critical in his government’s agenda.

According to him, his government has already committed a lot of money in the sector, particularly in revamping the state’s dump and loading sites and “we believe it is the way.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu said the intention in the presentation of the 102 compactor trucks to the LAWMA was not to make the Agency go into competition with the PSP operators but to strengthen them.

While commending the operators, stating that they were doing their very best in waste management in the State, he promised to extend the new compactor truck arrangement to them soon, just as he said in response to their request that he has endorsed a jaw-jaw meeting together with his deputy with them once a year to bring them closer with him and familiarise the government more with their activities and challenges.

In the same vein, the Managing Director (MD), LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, while reviewing the achievements of the Agency since the Sanwo-Olu administration assumed office two years ago, commended the PSP operators, pointing out that they have acquired 920 trucks for waste disposal within the period and urged Lagosians to always pay their waste bills as Lagos is envisaged to become the neatest city in the country soonest.

Earlier in his goodwill message, the President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Mr. David Oriyomi, said it was pertinent to note that the support given Governor Sanwo-Olu by the PSP operators when he was seeking to lead the State was not misplaced, stressing that “God used you at that critical time of our history to free our source of livelihood from extinction.”

He thanked the Governor for the recent 5-year franchise agreement he directed LAWMA to sign with them, which, he said, has given their business the legal backing they had always craved for, noting that like he did to them to restore their jobs, the Governor was now pulling out LAWMA from tedium by the procurement of the new Compact trucks and the double Dino bins for it.

Recalling that after the EndSARS saga, the governor directed LAWMA and the PSP operators to clean up Lagos within 48 hours, which they did free of charge without collecting a dime from the government to demonstrate their commitment to it, he appealed to the governor to “come to the aid of our members who lost their trucks to arsonists during the ENDSARS saga.

“Our Association through partnership with some financial institutions has injected over 300 tokunbo compacting trucks into the system. Today sir, you have stepped up the game by injecting brand new equipment into the business of waste management in the State.

“Let’s use this occasion to put you on notice that we are sending a letter to you detailing our challenges for your kind consideration. We are yearning as well for at least once in a year meeting with you. This will further strengthen your relationship with the environment family,” the AWAMN President said, pleading with the governor to extend to them some of the new trucks he had doled out to LAWMA.