LAGOS EXPANDS WASTE FLEET WITH 220 NEW TRUCKS TO TACKLE RISING REFUSE

The Lagos State Government is set to deploy an additional 220 trucks as part of efforts to improve waste evacuation and keep the state’s environment cleaner.

Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat disclosed this on Saturday while speaking to journalists during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Hamzat said the new trucks would complement the existing Private Sector Participation system and strengthen the state’s capacity to respond to the increasing volume of waste generated daily across Lagos.

He explained that the rapid growth in the state’s population had resulted in a corresponding increase in the amount of waste produced, making it necessary for the government to expand its waste evacuation infrastructure.

The deputy governor urged residents to patronise approved PSP waste collectors rather than relying on cart pushers, warning that waste collected by unregulated operators could be dumped indiscriminately in locations that pose environmental and health risks.

Hamzat also cautioned residents against dumping refuse in canals and drainage channels, noting that such practices could obstruct the free flow of water and contribute to flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.

He stressed that maintaining a clean environment should not be left entirely to the government, calling on individuals and communities to take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean.

According to him, the state government is encouraging communities to organise regular sanitation exercises, with the goal of making environmental cleanliness a continuous responsibility rather than an activity carried out only during official sanitation periods.

The deputy governor said a clean and healthy environment was essential to the sustainability of Lagos, particularly given the state's growing population and economic activities.

He also commended residents and community leaders in Festac for participating in the sanitation exercise, stressing that government efforts would be more effective when residents actively support environmental initiatives.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said waste management in Lagos had continued to improve, citing the deployment of 24-hour emergency response teams and measures aimed at addressing challenges at landfills and dumpsites.

Wahab said the government had intensified engagement with PSP operators to improve waste collection across the state and had intervened in areas where PSP operators ordinarily do not operate.

He added that the government had assured PSP operators of its support while residents were expected to pay for waste collection services in accordance with the polluter-pays principle.

The commissioner further disclosed that Lagos was gradually moving away from the traditional system of simply collecting and dumping waste towards a circular waste management model in which waste materials are recovered and converted into useful resources.

As part of the transition, material recovery facilities have been developed in Badagry and Epe, while transfer stations have also been established at Soluyi and Olusosun.

Wahab also addressed concerns surrounding the activities of cart pushers, saying the government was engaging with them but would not introduce measures that could create additional environmental or security problems.

He said investigations had shown that some cart pushers dump collected waste in drainage channels and road medians, thereby worsening flooding and other environmental challenges.

The commissioner further expressed concern over reports linking some cart pushers to criminal activities, including the cutting and theft of metals.

The deployment of the additional 220 trucks is therefore expected to strengthen waste evacuation across Lagos while supporting the state government’s broader efforts to improve sanitation, reduce indiscriminate dumping and promote a cleaner urban environment.