Lagos deploys 220 new compactor trucks to boost waste collection

By Adeola Ogunrinde

The Lagos State Government will deploy 220 newly acquired compactor trucks as part of efforts to strengthen waste collection and improve environmental management across the state, Deputy Governor Kadri Hamzat said on Saturday.

Hamzat disclosed this during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, saying the additional trucks would complement the existing Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste collection system.

He said the deployment was necessary because of the rising volume of waste generated by Lagos’ rapidly growing population, adding that the new vehicles would expand the state’s capacity to evacuate refuse and address areas where existing collection arrangements had struggled to meet demand.

The deputy governor also urged residents to patronise accredited PSP operators rather than cart pushers, warning that unregulated waste collection could result in refuse being dumped indiscriminately. He further cautioned residents against dumping waste in canals and drainage channels, noting that blocked waterways could restrict stormwater flow and worsen flooding during heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the state had recorded improvements in waste evacuation following the deployment of 24-hour emergency response teams and interventions to address challenges at landfills and dumpsites. He added that the government had intensified discussions with PSP operators to improve their performance and ensure more efficient household waste collection.

Wahab explained that the state had also intervened in areas where the Lagos State Waste Management Authority would ordinarily not operate, as part of efforts to close gaps in waste evacuation. According to him, the government was supporting PSP operators to strengthen their operations, while residents were expected to pay for waste collection services in line with the polluter-pays principle.

Also, Head of Service Bode Agoro monitored the sanitation exercise in Bariga Local Council Development Area alongside permanent secretaries, including the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Omobolaji Gaji. The officials inspected Ewenla, Adetoke and Emmanuel Church streets, through Omobokun to New Garage, to assess compliance and encourage residents to maintain clean surroundings.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Sunkanmi Oyegbola, Agoro expressed concern over the attitude of some residents toward environmental cleanliness and urged Lagos residents to take ownership of their immediate surroundings. He stressed that keeping the environment clean should not be left entirely to the government, saying residents must complement the state’s efforts by maintaining clean homes, streets and communities.