By: Tijani Salako.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has dismissed viral videos showing heaps of waste in parts of Mushin, saying the clips are old and do not reflect the current situation in the area.
The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said in a statement on Saturday that the Authority had carried out a three-week direct intervention in Mushin to address service delays, and the area is now clean.
According to him, LAWMA deployed trucks to inner streets for direct household collection and also engaged market and community leaders to close service gaps.
“Some of the videos being circulated as though they show the current situation in Mushin are old, and presenting them without dates or context is misleading,” Gbadegesin said. “We acknowledge that there have been service delays in some areas, but LAWMA has stepped in, and the situation on the ground today is different.”
He urged residents to stop dumping waste on road medians and other unauthorized locations. Communities experiencing collection delays, he added, should contact LAWMA through their CDA or community leadership for interim direct collection, the same model currently in use in Mushin.
Residents who spoke during the intervention commended the effort. Mrs. Taiwo Adenekan of Dakobiri Street said LAWMA trucks were now coming into the market to evacuate waste, making disposal easier and discouraging illegal dumping.
Chief Samsideen Obawunmi, Babaloja of Irepodun Market, Mushin, said engagement with traders had improved waste management awareness, while Alhaji Kazeem, General Secretary of Mushin Market, praised LAWMA for responding to complaints and collecting waste directly from inner streets.
Also, Mr. Owolabi Akinwande of Moroduke, Mushin, said the direct collection initiative had made it easier for households to dispose of waste properly.
LAWMA reiterated its zero tolerance for dumping on road medians and advised residents to package waste properly and use approved collection channels.
The Authority assured that it would continue to intervene in areas with service delays and would work with PSP operators, market leaders, CDAs and other stakeholders to strengthen waste collection across Mushin and other affected parts of Lagos.
It urged residents to disregard outdated materials presented as current, report genuine service delays through official channels, and support efforts toward a cleaner Lagos.
