Lagos Cracks Down on Roadside Waste Dumping, Moves to Est....

The Lagos State Government (LASG) has declared zero tolerance policy on indiscriminate waste dumping on roads and announced plans to establish a special “Waste Police” as part of intensified efforts to improve environmental sanitation and keep the state’s transport corridors clean.

The initiative follows a directive by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordering the emergency evacuation of waste from roads across the state.

To implement the directive, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have partnered with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) to ensure motor parks, garages and major road corridors remain free of refuse.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ministry of Transportation on Saturday, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, warned that transport unions would be held accountable for sanitation conditions within their operational areas.

Osiyemi stressed that motor parks and garages must be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition at all times, while indiscriminate trading and improper waste disposal would no longer be tolerated.

He disclosed that the Ministry would commence enforcement operations to ensure strict compliance with environmental regulations across transport facilities in the state.

The Commissioner emphasized that roads are not refuse dumps and revealed that the proposed Waste Police would be drawn from members of transport unions across all local government areas.

According to him, the unit will monitor parks, garages and adjoining road networks to prevent indiscriminate dumping of waste and support government sanitation efforts.

Also speaking at the meeting, Lagos State Deputy Chief of Staff, Sam Egube, noted that transport operators in many parts of the world work closely with governments to safeguard transport infrastructure.

He urged stakeholders to support the state’s renewed drive towards a cleaner environment.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, called on transport unions to take ownership of waste management within their parks and garages, describing them as critical partners in the state’s environmental sustainability agenda.

Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, commended the transport unions for supporting the reintroduced environmental sanitation exercise and emphasized that effective waste management requires collective responsibility.

Gbadegesin disclosed that LAWMA currently evacuates about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily across Lagos, while transport unions facilitate the movement of an estimated 22 million commuters every day. He said the extensive presence of union members across the state makes them strategic partners in promoting proper waste disposal practices and monitoring sanitation compliance.

He further assured that LAWMA would continue to collaborate with transport unions to monitor roads, motor parks and surrounding communities, while encouraging the prompt reporting of environmental violations for immediate action.

The meeting was attended by directors from the Ministry of Transportation and LAWMA, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation and Logistics, Hassan Adekoya, as well as representatives of LAWMA enforcement teams, NURTW and RTEAN.

The latest move signals a tougher stance by the Lagos State Government against environmental infractions as authorities seek to curb indiscriminate waste disposal and improve sanitation standards across the state.