By: Tijani Salako.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has assured residents that delays in waste evacuation being experienced in parts of Lagos will soon ease, following the ongoing rehabilitation of Road E at the Olusosun Disposal Facility.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, gave the assurance on Tuesday during an inspection visit to assess the progress of the rehabilitation works. He described the project as a critical intervention aimed at improving access to the facility and accelerating waste evacuation across the metropolis.
According to him, the rehabilitation is being undertaken by Zoomlion Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. He said it would enable compactor trucks to access the disposal facility with greater ease, reduce turnaround time and enhance operational efficiency.
Dr. Gbadegesin explained that recent heavy rainfall had affected access to the Olusosun disposal facility, hampering the movement of compactor trucks and contributing to temporary delays in waste evacuation in some parts of the state.
He noted that Olusosun currently receives approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, making it one of the busiest waste disposal facilities in Africa and underscoring the need for uninterrupted access.
On the long-term plan, the LAWMA boss said the Lagos State Government remains committed to decommissioning the Olusosun facility, but only after adequate alternative infrastructure is in place.
He identified the construction of two modern Transfer Loading Stations (TLSs) by Zoomlion at Olusosun and Solous III as key alternatives. Each facility, he said, would process 2,500 metric tonnes of waste daily about twenty times the capacity of the existing Simpson Transfer Loading Station.
Dr. Gbadegesin also disclosed that the Lagos State Government has concluded plans to acquire 3,000 compactor trucks of different sizes and capacities over the next three years to strengthen waste collection and evacuation.
About 150 of the new compactors, including tricycle compactors designed for narrow streets and hard-to-reach communities, are expected to arrive before the end of the year as part of the first phase.
He added that Lagos requires no fewer than 2,000 operational compactor trucks to effectively manage daily waste generation. The new fleet, he said, would improve service delivery, strengthen the operations of Private Sector Participants (PSPs) and expand waste collection coverage.
The LAWMA boss further stated that the modern Transfer Loading Station model would be replicated across Lagos to modernise waste management infrastructure, reduce haulage distances, lower transportation costs and support the transition from landfill-dependent disposal to a system driven by resource recovery and the circular economy.
While appealing to residents for continued understanding, Dr. Gbadegesin assured that the current delays are temporary and will ease as the rehabilitation progresses and new infrastructure comes on stream.
He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to delivering efficient and sustainable waste management services, and commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for investments in infrastructure development, fleet expansion and partnerships.
