LAWMA wants 50% tariff increase

Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is proposing a 50 per cent tariff review, starting from October 1.

The Managing Director, Ibrahim Odumboni, said the pricing review would, however, be subject to peculiar circumstances, after a review with critical stakeholders.

He said the rising cost of diesel from the 2022 first quarter had posed huge challenges for operators.

“Of the key challenges facing the PSP operators, the first is the rising cost of operation, the cost of overheads, majorly diesel and spare parts for their trucks. This is why we are in the process of extensive and consultative pricing review for PSP services in homes knowing well that we are trying to recognise the economic trend in Nigeria, but also trying to ensure that we are not introducing any change that will automatically disenfranchise people and increase the waste menace in our immediate society,” he noted.

Odumboni addressed reporters on activities of the agency from January to August.

He said 83 persons were convicted and jailed, over 1,200 penalised to sweep and over 3,000 fined for offences relating to indiscriminate disposal of waste in the last one year.

This, he said, was necessary to deter the bad culture of waste management.

The managing director said truck pushers are guilty of dumping waste in canals and drainages, thereby blocking the drainages and causing flooding.

He, however, said the enforcement team had seized over 1,400 carts in the last two months ”to ensure a more formal, agreeable and consistent system of waste is introduced in our society.”

He added: “Eighty-three people were jailed last year for waste related offences. Over 1,200 did community services – they joined our sweepers to sweep, and over 3,000 were fined. But the most important thing for us is to ensure we do the right thing.

“For people out there, who continue to migrate and dump waste indiscriminately, any time you are caught, you will be held responsible and face the wrath of the law.

“Having extended hands of fellowship to cart pushers on how they can work with the agency to formalise their operations, the agency will not take it lightly with those who kick against the hand of fellowship and rules of engagement. There will be zero tolerance for anyone who does not have an identity, who poses security threats to the state, who refuses to follow the law and puts the lives of Lagosians in danger. So we will continue in our operations to get rid of cart pushers in Lagos.”

Odumboni said the agency had begun the process of using a dual fuel system (50 per cent diesel and 50 per cent gas) for trucks as part of efforts to meet up with changing demands, such as rising cost of diesel and clean energy.

”Two trucks have been converted to dual fuel system,” he added.

He said to keep the operators afloat, the government would make subsidy arrangements for operators.

The Chairman of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, David Oriyomi, assured Lagosians that with the government’s support, efforts would be harmonised to address the prevailing challenges, particularly those relating to exchange rate and rising diesel price, which had informed high cost of operation.