Mr Musbau Akinyemi, an Environmental Ambassador of Mushin Local Government Area, has called for the reintroduction of waste monitors in all 57 local governments and council development areas of Lagos State.
Akinyemi made the call while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday during the weekly market sanitation.
He said that the “waste police’’, once initiated by Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), aimed at sensitising the residents to the proper ways of dumping garbage in refuse trucks and other containers.
“The team was very effective when it started working under the strict supervision of LAWMA; anyone caught dumping refuse indiscriminately was penalised immediately.
“I was responsible for the sanitation of most major roads in Mushin since 2010, so as to ensure that the highways were clean.
“I engaged 10 men to work with me; we then ensured that the residents’ garbage was disposed of appropriately.
“From Post Office Road to Challenge Bus Stop, known as the black spot for refuse-dumping, we monitored the area through the `waste police’ and then such activities stopped.
“But in February 2016, the `waste police’ were disbanded by the authorities and that action is not encouraging at all,” he said.
Akinyemi said the disbandment of the monitors, further heightened the menace of indiscriminate refuse dumping at various spots and the patronage of cart pushers.
“The residents now patronise the cart pushers more than the private sector participation (PSP) operators assigned to their areas.
“The PSP arrangement is also part of the challenges now facing the waste management processes of Lagos State due to the slow evacuation of refuse from the neigbourhoods,’’ he added.
(NAN)
OKU/FLP/OOK