Dare Babalola
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has appealed to Lagos residents to adopt responsible waste disposal practices, emphasizing that proper waste handling is crucial for achieving a cleaner, more liveable, and sustainable urban environment.
According to a statement by LAWMA’s Director Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, on Monday, Dr. Gbadegesin made the call on Saturday while featuring on Channels Television, where he spoke on the realities of waste management in a rapidly urbanising city and the shared responsibilities required to keep Lagos clean and liveable.
Gbadegesin stated that LAWMA was maintaining ongoing waste evacuation and management efforts statewide, enhancing regular collection services, and persistently clearing identified hotspots resulting from indiscriminate dumping and inadequate waste handling, which hindered sector progress.
The LAWMA boss encouraged universal adoption of basic sorting practices, stressing the need to segregate waste at source. He explained that separating recyclables from general waste would boost collection efficiency, aid recycling, and ease pressure on landfills.
He highlighted LAWMA’s increasing emphasis on waste recycling, saying waste is now a valuable resource, not just trash. Recycling efforts, he added, will create jobs, attract private investment, and help protect the environment.
He further advocated a circular economy approach to waste management, where materials are recovered, reused, and recycled, unlocking economic opportunities and reducing environmental harm, unlike the current linear ‘take, use, dispose’ system.
Stressing LAWMA’s commitment to upholding environmental laws and ensuring accountability, Dr. Gbadegesin highlighted the impact of the Authority’s enforcement efforts, noting that 400 cases of environmental infractions were prosecuted in 2025, including a recent instance in which a man caught dumping indiscriminately is now serving a jail term.
He called on residents to support these enforcement efforts by shunning indiscriminate dumping and reporting violations promptly as citizens’ cooperation remains essential to maintaining cleanliness and order across the state.
He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to strengthen waste management systems and promote a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Lagos State.
