Olusosun Closure Disrupts Waste Collection in Parts of Lagos
The Lagos State Government has attributed the recent build-up of refuse in some parts of the state to the gradual shutdown of the Olusosun landfill, which has altered long-standing waste disposal arrangements.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Monday in a post shared on his official X platform, where he acknowledged residents’ concerns and outlined measures being implemented to ease the situation.
Wahab explained that with the decommissioning process ongoing at Olusosun, waste that was previously dumped at the site is now being redirected to alternative landfills located in Epe and Badagry. He noted that the new disposal routes have extended travel distances for Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, slowing down refuse evacuation in certain locations.
According to him, the longer turnaround time has placed temporary strain on the existing waste management system, resulting in delays across some neighbourhoods.
To mitigate the impact, the commissioner said the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) had been instructed to provide immediate intervention in areas where PSP operators were struggling to cope. He added that LAWMA teams were already active in identified trouble spots across the state.
Wahab further revealed that the government was engaging in talks to acquire and deploy additional waste collection trucks to strengthen response time and expand LAWMA’s operational capacity.
On enforcement, he announced the establishment of a special task force to address illegal dumping and indiscriminate disposal of refuse, particularly along major roads and trading corridors. The task force, he said, would conduct round-the-clock monitoring and enforcement to curb the practice.
The commissioner called on residents to cooperate by disposing of their waste properly and engaging only government-approved PSP operators.
He assured Lagosians that the state government was taking responsibility for the inconvenience and remained committed to achieving a cleaner, safer and more sustainable urban environment.
