Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, says the state’s worsening waste situation is being driven by rising refuse generation, inadequate collection trucks and challenges facing private waste operators.
Speaking in an interview, Hamzat said the government initially estimated that Lagos generated about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily but later found the figure was closer to 17,000 tonnes. He said the gap had made planning and effective waste management more difficult.
Hamzat also disclosed that many of the state’s private waste operators no longer have the required number of functional trucks. He said rising diesel costs and the closure of some businesses had further weakened their capacity, while the government had rejected requests for higher collection tariffs and opted to provide additional support.
The Deputy Governor said the state had ordered new waste trucks after discovering that many existing vehicles were no longer usable. About 114 trucks were initially planned for local government areas and development councils, with another 100 ordered to strengthen collection operations.
However, Hamzat said delivery of the new trucks, initially expected in July, had been pushed to September.
He therefore urged against placing the entire blame on the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), saying the state government also had to take responsibility for the delays and challenges affecting waste collection.
