New law to bar LAWMA from waste collection
…as international firm to invest N86bn in domestic waste management
A new environmental law being pushed by the Lagos would bar the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) from direct involvement in waste collection and recycling activities.
An executive bill to actualise this, titled ‘Harmonised Environmental Bill’, is currently with the State House of Assembly, and when passed, would also enable the government to further open up the space for local and international investors, interested in waste management and recycling in Nigeria’s commercial city.
The waste management agency was first created in 1977 as Lagos State Refuse Disposal Board (LSRDB), under Edict 9 of 1977, with Powell Duffen Pollution Control Consultants of Canada as managers.
In 1981, its name was changed to Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (LSWDB) because of the added responsibilities for industrial-commercial waste collection and disposal, drain clearing and disposal of derelict/scrapped vehicles. In December 1991, its current name, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) was christened under Edict No. 55, which made the agency to be responsible for the collection and disposal of municipal and industrial waste, as well as for the provision of commercial waste services to the state and local governments.
Lagos with an estimated population of 20 million people generates some 13,000 tonnes of wastes daily, which presents a huge investment opportunity in waste management and recycling. But ill-equipped state-owned LAWMA and a couple of licensed private operators, barely scratch the surface, leaving millions of residents at the mercy of illegal cart pushers, who collect domestic wastes and dump into the canals.
The new law would also seek to harmonise the functions and responsibilities of the various state agencies in the environment sector, including Lagos State Parks and Gardens (LASPARK), Lagos State Signage and Advertisement (LASSA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) among others, to eliminate the duplication of the functions.
The expected law would restrict the responsibility of LAWMA to that of a regulator and monitor, while encouraging private investors to up the task of waste collection, management and recycling.
Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos State House Assembly, told BusinessDay on Friday, that the lawmakers were fully behind the ‘Cleaner Lagos Initiative’ of the executive, aimed at giving the environment a new identity. Obasa said the legislators were cutting short their recess, to resume legislative work today (Monday).
“The environmental bill is one of the bills we are returning to the chamber to deliberate on. We consider it as important as the executive considers it,” said the speaker, who represents Agege constituency 1, in the House.
Babatunde Adejare, the commissioner for the environment, had earlier informed that the government was awaiting the legislature to legally clear the coast, for the state to conclude a Public Private Partnership (PPP) deal that would see a Europe based firm invest about N85 billion in domestic waste management, over the next five years.
Adejare said the contractual agreement was part of an initiative to tackle waste management in the state, and as well tap into the wealth opportunities inherent in waste management.
“Waste management is now big business. We are pulling out the PSP operators from domestic waste management in the state and they will now concentrate on the commercial waste management and collection which is more lucrative. The new contractor, a renowned international firm, will focus on domestic waste management, and will invest about N85 billion over the next five years,” he said.
As part of the initiative, the commissioner said the state will take delivery of some 600 units of brand new Mercedez Benz waste compactor vehicles.
JOSHUA BASSEY