Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reportedly asked the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, to resign over the persistent accumulation of refuse across the state.
A source within the agency disclosed that the governor was dissatisfied with Gbadegesin’s handling of the waste management crisis, particularly the slow pace of refuse evacuation despite directives to address the situation.
According to the source, Sanwo-Olu’s displeasure followed an inspection of the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota about a month ago, during which he reportedly ordered immediate action to tackle the worsening situation.
The source said the governor became upset after observing that little improvement had been made despite his directive and subsequent declaration of a state of emergency on waste management.
The source further alleged that the governor asked Gbadegesin to resign over the weekend, adding that the LAWMA chief had been reaching out to prominent Lagosians in an attempt to secure support.
For months, residents across Lagos have complained about deteriorating waste collection services, with refuse piling up along road medians, residential streets, major highways and drainage channels.
Affected areas include Mushin, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa and Mile 2, where residents have had to contend with heaps of decomposing waste.
The situation has heightened concerns about environmental sanitation, public health risks, blocked drainage channels and the impact of poor waste management on businesses and the state’s image.
In September, Sanwo-Olu declared a state of emergency on waste collection after inspecting the Olusosun dumpsite. He subsequently met with stakeholders in the waste management sector to assess the challenges and outline immediate, medium-term and long-term solutions.
The governor, accompanied by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, acknowledged the slow pace of waste collection and attributed part of the problem to the failure of Private Sector Participation operators to meet their obligations in the preceding weeks.
He also disclosed that waste compaction activities were ongoing at the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites, while recent fire incidents had slowed operations. Work had since resumed, with contractors engaged to clear the sites and improve their capacity to receive waste.
According to the governor, completing the projects would enable each dumpsite to receive about 450 trucks of municipal waste daily, effectively doubling the capacity of PSP operators.
Despite the announced interventions, refuse has continued to accumulate in several communities, prompting renewed calls for urgent and sustainable solutions.
Meanwhile, Gbadegesin, in a weekly update on waste management posted on his X account on Saturday, reported progress in several locations.
He said Mile 2 had been cleared, with routine collection sustained, while three additional trucks were deployed to Doyin-Orile and surrounding areas. He also reported daily service along Ijesha Road and Itire-Ikate, as well as clearance at Bucknor-Ijegun, where collection was scheduled three times weekly.
Other areas mentioned in the update included Okeira, Oluodo, Ogolonto, Igbokusu, Obalende and Iraye. Gbadegesin said LAWMA had taken over interim services in Okeira and Oluodo following the termination of their PSP arrangements.
However, he acknowledged that field updates were still outstanding for Apapa, Abesan Estate, Idimu-Ejigbo Road and the Isheri-Igando corridor.
He said the objective was to move beyond clearing visible heaps of refuse to ensuring sustained collection and preventing a recurrence of the crisis.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Lagos State Government were unsuccessful, as the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, was reportedly in a meeting when contacted. An aide asked that the call be made again later.
Gbadegesin was reappointed as LAWMA managing director by Sanwo-Olu following the governor’s re-election. \ First reported by Punch