LAGOS — Operatives of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) intensified their “zero-tolerance” campaign against environmental law breakers this past weekend, conducting a sweeping enforcement operation across the high-density commercial hubs of Lagos Island.
The exercise, carried out on Sunday morning by the Waste Investigation, Surveillance and Enforcement (WISE) team, targeted the notorious activities of illegal cart pushers. These unauthorized operators have been identified as primary contributors to the “black spots” of refuse that frequently mar the medians and roadsides of major business districts.
The crackdown focused on several critical arteries of the Island’s business district, including:
- Balogun Street
- Oke-Arin Street
- Davies Street
- Broad Street
According to officials, these areas have seen a resurgence in illegal waste collection. Cart pushers often collect refuse from residents and market traders for a small fee, only to dump the gathered waste indiscriminately under the cover of early morning shadows. This practice significantly undermines the state’s waste management framework and poses a severe threat to public health and drainage systems.
This latest enforcement move follows the recent announcement by the Lagos State Government regarding the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, set to officially commence on April 25, 2026.
While the new sanitation policy will not include movement restrictions, the government has signaled that enforcement will be “firm and uncompromising.” LAWMA’s recent activities on Lagos Island serve as a precursor to this broader initiative, aiming to dismantle the informal and illegal waste disposal networks before the statewide exercise begins.
LAWMA Warns Against Patronage
LAWMA management reiterated that both the operator and the patron are liable under state environmental laws. Residents and business owners are urged to utilize only authorized Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators to ensure waste is disposed of at designated landfill sites rather than on public thoroughfares.
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The Authority has vowed to sustain these “early bird” surveillance operations across identified hotspots in the state to ensure that cleaned-up areas do not revert to illegal dumpsites.
