Lagos signs deal with firms on waste conversion

• Special Adviser allays fears of harassment during elections

The Lagos State government has signed an agreement with two companies to establish refuse treatment plants to process and convert refuse into by products for other useful purposes, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, has said.

Omotoso, who spoke in response to concerns raised by stakeholders  over the increasing heaps of refuse that dot several parts of the city,  said the step became necessary to address the menace of uncleared refuse across the state. He made the disclosure at the Annual Breakfast Meeting organised by the Office of Political and Civic Engagement under the Governor’s office,

“As for refuse disposal, how do we fund it,”  he asked? “We have a problem  here,” he admitted, but lamented that those generating the refuse are unwilling to pay for it. He said: “People are not willing to pay for such services,” adding,  “it’s going to be a problem for all of us.”

Notwithstanding the attitude of the people, he said the government wasn’t going to fold its arm and surrender. In his words: .”And what are we doing, are we throwing off our hands in surrender? “No, government is trying to see to it that the waste that we generated…that we can convert it into wealth. So we have signed an agreement with two companies which are already setting up their machines in Lagos on how to convert waste into wealth. And at the same time, we are developing new dump sites. Some of them will go into operation very soon. And at the same time, we are encouraging more funding into the sector, for the private sector to be involved because the government cannot do it all alone.”

He added:  “But on the other hand, our own people should also take responsibility. You are not going to pay for waste that you are generating in your home, that is supposed to be put in front of your home for the PSP to collect.  What you’re doing is that in the dead of the night, you come out carry the bin, put it in your truck, your carton, and then dump it on the road, that has been described as the situation in so many cases.”

Omotoso said state the government’s aim is to labour to ensure that Lagos becomes Africa’s modern megacity that is safe and well-respected, and that people can feel secure in it. And in doing all of this, we talk about buildings, we talk about aesthetics, and then we talk about the rule of law.

“First of all.” he continued, “we have to agree among ourselves the kind of estate that we want, “either estates that should be run by an animal kingdom, or estates that should be run as a place for human beings.  Omotoso, who spoke on a wide range of issues, said that government’s actions are guided by due process and the rule of law.

In his words: “I told people that the demolition in Oshodi, in Makoko, we followed due process and the rule of law. If we allow this to continue the way things are going in Lagos, we will lose this state, all of us, and we will come back to regret it,” stressing that if  government does not take proactive steps to check the menace, “one day, you’ll wake up and find people building on top of bridges and they’ll claim, I live there now, why do you want to demolish it, where do you want them to go to?

“So there is nothing that the government can do, apart from trying to enforce the law to mitigate the consequences of allowing people to get away with acts that violate the laws.

On complaints that cost of rentals were moving up beyond the reach of Lagossians, he said the government was in the process of enacting a law to address the issue, but quickly added that the option before the government, would be to strike a balance that will not discourage the private sector from investing in the housing sector. “So very soon, once the law is passed and signed by the government, all of the arbitrary increases that you see will come to an end.

“And to go back to the demolition, it’s all about saving the people from themselves.” He said there was no question that government would allow, or permit buildings under high tension wires. “The day one of those wires drop into the lagoon, there is no way we can cope with the casualties- and then all the people who are shouting and throwing their hands in the air today, they will come, and the same people will come and say, where was the government when they were building?

He said he has done a report about all these things, that people are building towards the adjoining bridge, saying  that “those shanties you see, they stand on structures that are really, really deep for them to be able to stay, and for people to visit them. Those things that they are taking advantage of, and the things that they are likely to breach, the government cannot allow this to continue, Omotoso stated.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative, and Civic Engagement, Dr. Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, allayed fears expressed by concerned citizens about a repeat of the 2023 episodes were some persons experienced difficulties in casting their ballots due to hostile activities of “Area boys”.

He said his office is an appendage of the governor’s office, “and our overall mandate,” as he put it, “is to have a leadership where everyone is engaged, fulfilled and working in harmony and living in harmony. When we say engaged, it means that everyone is engaged by the government, and everyone is able to speak back to the government. When we say fulfilled, whatever you come to do in Lagos State, you’re able to achieve it. Whatever legal thing you come to do in Lagos State, you’re able to achieve it,? he stressed, adding, “be it the school, be it the road, or to raise your family and do business, you should be able to do that. We’re saying that regardless of your political background, social background, ethnicity, religion, you should be able to live in harmony with everyone, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, whatever. And so that’s the overall plan.

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“We have a Lagos State where everyone is engaged, fulfilled, and living in harmony. When we say engaged, we want everyone in Lagos City to be able to speak with the government and the government to respond to them. When we say fulfilled, we’re saying that whatever anyone has come to do in Lagos State, they ought to be able to achieve it. We’re actually bridging the communication gap between the government and the people, while we also make sure that governance gets to everybody. Most importantly, we make sure that everybody knows about the dividends of democracy. If a resident in Lagos State knows what is available to them, then they can use it, then they are also able to participate. So we always say we need people-centered participation and responsive governance, which means the people are going to be involved. If bills and policies are being rolled out, the people of the city should be able to contribute and have a say in it.”

He assured that nobody is going to harass anybody during the 2027 general elections, saying it’s a free association. “We are not concerned about what party you do, or which party you are doing yourself with. Oh, whether we like it or not, we are the same party in the state. So, we need to contain our party and we are going to make sure we allow you to synergize with us. Do whatever that is good for you that you can do. But this promise. 2027 election is going to be a beautiful product.”

He said opportunities also exist for expectant mothers to receive maternal care and child support services when they avail themselves of these openings by registering through approved centers and provision of LASTRA, NIN phone numbers.

The Permanent Secretary, Sholabomi Shashore, in her opening address,  said the essence of the gathering is to sensitise, listen and receive feedback so as to enable government become abreast of the yearnings of the people and be able to address and respond accordingly. She said there’s been a lot of talk about the youth and police issues, stating that “what we do is, we take the feedback and give it to the government, and the government acts on it”.