The Lagos State Government has declared zero tolerance for indiscriminate waste dumping on roads across the state and announced plans to establish a special “Waste Police” to strengthen environmental sanitation enforcement.
The move follows Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s directive for the emergency evacuation of waste from major roads and public spaces across Lagos.
To drive the initiative, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have partnered with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) to ensure motor parks, garages and road corridors remain clean at all times.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ministry of Transportation on Saturday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said transport unions must take responsibility for maintaining cleanliness within their operational areas.
He stressed that parks and garages must be kept clean and free of indiscriminate trading and improper waste disposal.
“The Ministry will commence enforcement activities to ensure that all motor parks and garages are properly maintained and that waste is disposed of appropriately,” Osiyemi said.
The commissioner reiterated that roads are not designated refuse dumps and warned that the state government would no longer tolerate practices that undermine environmental sustainability and public health.
He disclosed that the proposed Waste Police would comprise members of transport unions across the state’s local government areas and would be tasked with monitoring motor parks and surrounding environments to prevent indiscriminate waste disposal.
“Roads are not refuse dumps. The Waste Police will help monitor parks and their surroundings to ensure that refuse is not dumped indiscriminately,” he said.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sam Egube, noted that transport operators in many parts of the world play active roles in protecting and monitoring public infrastructure.
He urged stakeholders to support the government’s efforts to address the challenge of waste management across the state.
“All over the world, road transport operators partner with government in monitoring transport infrastructure. We must all rise to the challenge of ensuring that waste disposal problems are effectively addressed,” Egube said.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, called on NURTW and RTEAN to fully embrace their roles as partners in environmental management by ensuring strict compliance with sanitation regulations at parks and garages under their control.
The latest initiative forms part of the state government’s broader drive to improve environmental sanitation, enhance public health and restore order across transportation hubs and road networks in Lagos.
