By Ngozi Nwoke
The managing director, Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumbomi, has disclosed that the charge for waste evacuation may increase by 50 per cent, from October 1.
He made the disclosure recently in Lagos during a news conference on the activities of the agency from January 2022 till date. He talked about the challenges, solutions as well as sustainability measures that had been put in place.
Odumboni said that the rising cost of operation, overheads, majorly diesel and spare parts for the trucks, had warranted the increment, adding that, with these realities, a tariff review was under consideration and the upward price review of about 50 per cent.
He said: “Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration planned to support the Private Sector Participants (PSP) in the waste disposal system in the state with fuel subsidy, hence the review of waste disposal tariff had become imperative.
“PSP, CDA/CDC and LAWMA will take part in the review process. We want to appeal to tenements, the quicker we resolve this the better it will be for us in terms of the percentage increase.
“In some cases, it might be lesser than that because waste is dependent on your individual lifestyles.
“We are in the process of extensive and consultative pricing review for PSP services that we offer in households, knowing full well that we are trying to recognise the economic trend in Nigeria.
“We are trying to ensure that we are not introducing any change that will automatically disenfranchise people and cause the menace of waste in our immediate society.”
Commenting on the indiscriminate dumping of plastic bottles and other solid waste in the state by marketers and residents, president, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Mr. David Oriyomi, implored residents to adhere to rules and regulations of waste disposal.
According to Oriyomi, “poor attitude to waste management, heavy rains and particularly the prevailing price of diesel pose huge challenges to the cost of operation. Two trucks have already been converted to dual fuel systems – 50 per cent diesel and 50 per cent gas for efficiency. On October 1, abatement notices would be issued to houses without waste disposal bins.
“In the nearest future, the agency intended to operate a two-bin system, whereas one bin would be for recyclables and the other for organic waste. With the support of the state government, efforts would be harmonised to address the prevailing challenges. The prevailing challenges were those relating to the exchange rate and rising diesel price, which had informed the high cost of operation.”
In his remarks, LAWMA’s executive director (finance), Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, appealed to Lagos residents to patronise PSP operators. instead of the illegal cart pushers who dump refuse indiscriminately on the roads.
He said: “We appeal to residents to patronise PSP operators who apply professional measures to ensure that waste management is properly maintained. We are in the process of having an extensive pricing review for PSP services offered to households knowing full well the economic reality. Also, we are not introducing any change that will turn away consumers of our product.”