Lagos residents raise alarm over filth, blame LAWMA

Lagos residents are accusing the Private Sector Participant, PSP of inefficiency. PSP is charged with the responsibility of clearing refuse in Lagos State. Many parts of Lagos remain filthy. Evacuation of refuse is poorly done. It is not regular and residents are battling filth. PSP, an initiative by the state government to further complement the effort of the state government to clear refuse from the streets, is under the supervision of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA. Some of the allegations border on increase in levy of operation despite inefficiency, threat of sealing building of alleged defaulters in payment of levies etc. Some of the residents who said they have resorted to patronizing cart pushers lamented that the inaction of the PSP could lead to outbreak of avoidable epidemic if not checkmated immediately. According to Mr. Uche Okoro, a resident on Dele Orisabiyi Street, Okota, in Isolo Local Government Area, “the PSP operators have refused to come and pick our garbage for about three months. We have decided to patronize cart pushers to clear our garbage only for the PSP operator to come with a spurious notice to seal up our building for defaulting in the payment of levy. “We used to pay N500 per flat, but now they have added N500 making it N1,000 per flat. . This is crazy and a form of extortion on the part of Lagos residents. It is more so as they rarely come to clear the resfuse.” Also, residents in Alimosho area, precisely, Isheri, in Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area, also complained of astronomical increase in the levies charged by the PSP. Alhaji Ahmed Bello, a landlord at Hassan street Isherim was seriously opposed to the increase in service charge, saying, “there is no service to warrant any increase. “Often than not, the PSP will not show up to collect our refuse which is often left for days with the attendant stench and health risk. This are the days of Ebola. Please, help us tell the authorities to do something fast to bring the PSP to order or else we will resort to patronizing cart pushers.” It is same in Okota and Amuwo Odofin areas of Lagos. Managing Director, LAWMA, Ola Oresanya, while responding to the allegation against the PSP, said that given the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos State it is expected that large volumes of waste would be generated by the people regularly even as he identified indiscriminate dumping of refuse as a major challenge to the agency. He stated that another constraint that could hinder the operation of PSP is the lack of access road as the trucks find it difficult to access some areas. But areas that have good roads also suffer their neglect or inefficiency. “Rapid population growth, coupled with unbridled urban pollution, is among the many health and sanitation challenges facing the city.” He said - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/lagos-residents-raise-alarm-filth-blame-lawma/#sthash.AwHlVgRK.dpuf