Existing structures on waste management do not align with mega city vision – Ambode
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has blamed the waste management crisis in the state on the annual astronomical increase in population.
He also admitted that existing structures and current realities in waste management in Lagos reveal deficiencies that do not align with his vision of a smart city.
Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Idiat Adebule, at the commemoration of the 2018 World Habitat Day at the Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, in Ikeja on Monday, said waste generation was a natural phenomenon as a result of human activities.
He noted that the challenges of managing solid waste cannot be overemphasized.
“The existing structures and current realities reveal deficiencies (especially equipment and infrastructural gaps) that do not align with the State Government’s vision of a smart city,” he said.
He said the state government conceptualized the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) as a strong resolve and commitment to redefining solid waste management.
He added that waste from industrial and domestic activities, when not properly disposed of, caused a lot of harm in the environment and bred various diseases.
“One of the challenges faced in the world today is the pursuit of a clean and sustainable environment in order to break the cycle of diseases and promote good health,” he said.
“The Lagos State Government through the ‘Cleaner Lagos Initiative’ has been sensitizing the populace on the need for a clean environment and encouraging all to adopt the collective responsibility of caring for our environment and ensuring its livability and sustainability”.
The State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rotimi Ogunleye, also noted that Lagos State had a population of over 20 million and as such required huge funds for domestic waste management.
Ogunleye said good policies were sacrosanct but that it was in the area of implementation that government needed to make a difference.
