By Oladapo Udom
The Chairman, Badagry Local Government, Mr Babatunde Hunpe, has appealed to the Ministry of Environment to provide more Private Sector Participation (PSP) trucks to serve the area.
Hunpe, who made the appeal during the monthly sanitation on Saturday, said such provision was for the effective disposal of waste.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chairman led the exercise alongside the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu.
Hunpe said that the two PSP trucks in the area were inadequate to effectively manage wastes.
He said the community had been managing, using tricycles to evacuate wastes generated during market days, sanitation days and every other day.
“We need the ministry to assist us by assigning more PSP operators to Badagry,” he appealed.
Hunpe said the council would continue to support the government by ensuring that members of the community complied with the monthly environmental exercises.
“We have our enforcement team, as well as the tricycles, which we have been using to manage wastes,” he said.
The chairman monitored different locations in the area, commending residents for taking part in the exercise to keep the environment clean.
He, however, cautioned those in the habit of dumping wastes indiscriminately to desist from such.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, commended the community on the massive turn-out for sanitation.
He also appreciated the chairman and his team for their support to the ministry.
Rotimi-Akodu urged the community to continue to support the council and by extension, the government, by participating in the exercise and engaging in proper disposal of wastes.
“We have heard your appeal, and I assure you that Lagos government will do something about it.
“Although we have PSP operators in this axis, maybe they were assigned to other areas.
“However, I will ensure something is done and residents will observe the improvement.” the advisor said.
Also, the Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LASMA), Mr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that waste management was a collective exercise.
Gbadegbesin, therefore, appealed to the residents to always dispose of their wastes properly.
“You must bag your waste at home. Make sure you have a bin to keep the waste for few days, even if there is a delay by the PSP operator.
“Make sure you pay your PSP operator on time because there is no way they can provide that service if you are not paying them regularly.
“Please, we plead with all Lagosians, do not bring your waste to the roadside; that is not the system we want in Lagos.
“If you have delay with waste collection, simply call LAWMA directly on 070-8060-1020 and we will make provision to help you,” Gbadegesin said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Bukola Adetoye/Esenvosa Izah