LAWMA to generate electricity from waste
Acting Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA,
Ibrahim Odumboni has said that the agency is rejigging her processes and procedures to generate electricity through biofuel.
Odumboni disclosed that they are in the process of resuscitating the Odonguyan facility in Ikorodu to generate electricity in addition to tapping on several abattoirs in the state and waste’s across markets in the metropolis to make electricity available to Lagosians.
He revealed that they are partnering with the University of Lagos and other tertiary institutions in waste management and encouraged others to tap into the project.
He said the state generates an average of about 14,000 metric tonnes of waste daily and must be put into good use to generate wealth and efficiency for the common good.
Speaking to journalists in his office in Lagos Odumboni urged residents to shun all forms of indiscriminate waste disposal which have negative consequences on the environment and people who live in it, adding that the populace should imbibe the culture of recycling and waste sorting, spearheaded by the Authority.
The Ag MD of LAWMA, while promising a cleaner Lagos, said the PSP operators will henceforth operate from midnight to beat the city traffic before dawn.
He said: “People should stop indiscriminate disposal of plastics especially those of sachet water that takes between 40 -50 years to decay.
Health officers will be attached to all Local Council Development, LCDA’s Areas to educate the public on cleanliness and also serve abatement notices to defaulters. We have planned a major investment for our dump sites, all LCDA’s are expected to
Odumboni revealed that the agency would soon launch LAWMA Academy program, targeted at inculcating the tenets of effective waste management into the younger ones, adding that, through the program, school children, students, corps members and interns would have the opportunity of being taught the best practices in waste management.
The LAWMA boss said his focus is to make the Lagos environment cleaner and livable for all residents, adding that currently, the state through the PSP engaged over 14,000 sweepers, he added that their benefits have been modified to include insurance, accident and health cover and further encourage all LCDA’s to identify a location where waste can be dumped for onward transportation to the dumpsites.
On the capacity of the agency to cart refuse he said they are currently doing 500 trips daily but with a projection for 850 to make for a cleaner Lagos and improve waste management across the metropolis.
Speaking on the drastic measures that have been put in place to enhance operational efficiency by PSP operators, Odumboni said it is with particular emphasis on ensuring effective turnaround time at various dumpsites, adding that each disposal truck should not spend more than 20 minutes at the sites.
The LAWMA boss said the Authority would collaborate with other agencies in the state to ensure that the challenge of improper waste disposal was holistically tackled, as establishing a cleaner and healthier environment required collaborative efforts.