Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has intensified efforts to reorganise the Lagos Waste Management Authority following persistent complaints about refuse accumulation across major roads and residential communities.
The restructuring drive places renewed emphasis on field operations, waste evacuation and the performance of senior personnel responsible for coordinating sanitation services across the state.
The PUNCH has reported a new leadership development involving the appointment of an acting managing director and the redeployment of senior officers. However, the identity of the reported appointee and the details of the latest redeployments have not been independently verified.
Sanwo-Olu demands operational changes
The governor had earlier directed a comprehensive review of LAWMA’s administrative structure after inspecting the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota in September.
During the inspection, he expressed dissatisfaction with the state of waste collection and called for more officials to participate directly in operational activities.
“Almost immediately I will need to restructure the entire organisational structure of LAWMA. We have to put more people on operations,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that the agency needed more personnel on roads, streets and at disposal facilities rather than concentrating its workforce in offices.
“Waste is outside on the street, it is not in their offices,” he stated.
The governor also announced emergency measures to address delays in waste collection and disposal.
Waste crisis spreads across Lagos communities
Residents in different parts of Lagos have repeatedly complained about uncollected refuse, with waste accumulating along road medians, drainage channels and residential streets.
Communities affected by the problem include Mushin, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa and Mile 2.
The situation has raised concerns about sanitation, environmental pollution and possible public health risks.
Some Private Sector Participation operators previously attributed delays in waste evacuation to congestion and operational challenges at major disposal facilities.
The government also identified inadequate collection capacity and difficulties at dumpsites as factors contributing to the crisis.
LAWMA leadership faces scrutiny
The restructuring efforts follow earlier reports that Sanwo-Olu had asked LAWMA Managing Director Muyiwa Gbadegesin to resign over concerns about the agency’s response to the waste crisis.
In October, reports also circulated that Hassan Sanuth had been appointed as his replacement.
However, Sanuth publicly denied the appointment, while the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, described the claim as untrue.
The conflicting reports highlighted uncertainty surrounding the agency’s leadership.
The latest reported appointment of an acting managing director will therefore require confirmation of the appointee’s identity and the effective date of the decision.
Government targets improved waste evacuation
Sanwo-Olu had previously announced plans to improve operations at the Olusosun and Solous disposal facilities.
The interventions were intended to reduce delays experienced by waste collection trucks and increase the quantity of refuse that could be processed daily.
The government also proposed reviewing the performance of private waste operators to identify companies unable to meet their service obligations.
According to the governor, improving disposal capacity and strengthening field supervision are central to restoring efficient waste collection across Lagos.
For residents, the effectiveness of the restructuring will ultimately be reflected in more regular waste collection and fewer refuse heaps along roads and within communities.
The government’s challenge remains translating administrative changes into measurable improvements in environmental sanitation.
