By Adedamola Saka
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved a 2023 budgetary plan to help Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators in the state recapitalise, by injecting new waste evacuation trucks into their fleet.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Ibrahim Odumboni, on Thursday, adding that recyclers would also be empowered to procure necessary tools for their projects.
Odumboni said that the recapitalisation was aimed at improving waste management in Lagos State, to make the environment cleaner and livable for residents, to cope with about 13,000 metric tonnes of waste generated daily.
He said: “The Lagos State Government’s plan is to provide the PSP operators with low-interest loans to purchase new trucks. The government will also provide technical assistance to the PSP operators to help them manage their fleets more efficiently.
It will also stimulate economic growth by providing opportunities for small businesses to thrive. By providing the PSP operators with low-interest loans, we are giving them the opportunity to expand their businesses and create more jobs.
“In addition to the recapitalisation, the Lagos State Government also plans to empower recyclers in the state. The government will provide recyclers with the relevant tools and equipment needed to carry out their work effectively. This will include providing them with necessary equipment that will help them to sort, process, and recycle waste”.
“The aim of this initiative is to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. By empowering recyclers, the government hopes to create a more sustainable waste management system in the state. We want to create a situation where waste is seen as a resource, not as a problem”, he stressed.
He added, “The recycling that was launched by the present administration has come to stay as we now have over 100 recyclers, who are into the business of recycling. Also with the support of the governor, we engage community stakeholders of the 20 Local Government & 37 Local Council Development Areas to discuss sustainable waste management with them. We are in collaboration with our sister agencies, like LNSC, KAI, LASTMA and others to track, arrest and prosecute waste defaulters.”
Source: The Guardian
