LAWMA to subsidise PSP Operators over high cost of diesel

Lagos State government has agreed to pay registered PSPs operating in very low-income areas subsidies to cushion the effect of the increasing price of diesel.

MD/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni made this disclosure when he met with the registered waste managers under the umbrella of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAM), on Tuesday at the Olusosun landfill located in the Ojota area of the state.

Odumboni said that the decision by the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration became necessary following complaints and appeals by members of the association. He stated that N30 million has been approved by the government and that the money will be split equally among the affected PSPs.

According to data made available to Westernpost, LAWMA currently has over 400 registered PSPs operating in the state and about 200 of the operators have been assigned to low-income areas.

“First I must appreciate our very amiable and understanding governor, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his thoughtfulness. After laying the complaints and appeal before him, he has approved the disbursement of N30 million to be paid to operators working in the very low-income areas to cushion the effect of the increasing and unstable diesel price.

“He is aware of your plight and has stepped in to assist. I can assure you the government of Lagos will not leave you hanging and watch your businesses fold up due to the harsh economic times.

“We can only hope that the war situation between Russia and Ukraine can be resolved so that the strain we all are currently experiencing in the energy sector can be alleviated. But till then, we will continue to see that you remain in business. Because when you are in business, you can do the very important job of evacuating the waste generated daily and as such maintain the environmental sanity in the state,” Odumboni said.

The LAWMA boss warned that any operator caught defaulting after receiving the subsidy payment will be sanctioned.

He stressed that all hands must be on deck to ensure a consistently clean state and especially now when the rains are pouring heavily.

Odumboni called on the PSP operators to treat the issue of tariffs with caution.

He noted that the process of reviewing the price of waste disposal must follow all due process to avoid every form of embarrassment.

He assured the operators and Lagosians that in due time the management of LAWMA will release a statement to that effect.

In his response, President of AWAMN, Mr. David Oriyomi, said members of the association are delighted by the news of the subsidy payment, promising that they will not disappoint the state in the discharge of their duties.

The AWAMN president encouraged the operators to go about their daily duties of keeping the state clean.

 He assured them that sooner than expected, all other issues confronting the operators will be settled.