Lagos inaugurates Special Task Force to tackle waste in parks, bus stops

The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a Special Task Force to coordinate the immediate evacuation of refuse from transport parks, bus stops, and garages across the metropolis, while also warning against indiscriminate waste dumping and the emergence of illegal structures within motor parks.

The initiative is part of renewed efforts to restore environmental order in Africa’s most populous city, following a directive by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu mandating a 24-hour intensified waste evacuation operation across the state.

Speaking at an emergency stakeholders’ meeting with transport union leaders in Alausa, Ikeja, on Saturday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the intervention became necessary due to continued misuse of public spaces by some residents and transport operators.

He said the government could no longer ignore the growing problem of indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads, medians, and other public areas.

“Our beautiful city is being challenged by indiscriminate refuse disposal and environmental abuse. We cannot fold our arms while people dump waste on roads, medians and public spaces. This is totally unacceptable,” Osiyemi said.

He emphasised that while enforcement would be strengthened, collaboration with transport unions remains essential, given their strategic presence in parks and garages across the state.

“We are not abandoning this responsibility, neither are we doing it alone. What we are asking for is collaboration because this fight is for all of us,” he added.

Osiyemi warned that anyone found engaging in illegal waste disposal would henceforth face sanctions, stressing that transport unions must take ownership of cleanliness within their operational environments.

He further directed union leaders to ensure that bus stops, garages, and parks are properly maintained, free from street trading and shanties, and supported with designated sanitation personnel and monitoring structures.

“Our roads are being littered every day. Before you can enforce discipline outside, your own garages must be in order,” he said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Sam Egube, described transport operators as key stakeholders in the state’s security and environmental management framework, urging them to support enforcement efforts.

“Transport workers are part of the security architecture of society. When you see something, say something,” he said.

The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the state generates about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, warning that indiscriminate dumping must be brought under control.

He appealed for stronger cooperation from transport operators, stressing that waste should be properly collected and taken to approved disposal points rather than being dumped on roadsides.

“We need your support. Lagos is our home and we must keep it clean. Waste should be collected from homes and taken to designated points, not dumped on roads,” he said.

Gbadegesin also cautioned against the resurgence of street trading around bus stops and newly rehabilitated roads, describing it as a setback to ongoing urban renewal efforts.

Former Special Adviser on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, explained that the newly constituted task force would work closely with transport unions to enforce sanitation rules, dismantle illegal structures, and improve safety and cleanliness in transport hubs.

In their response, leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, pledged their support for the initiative, while calling for a structured engagement system to strengthen coordination across transport corridors.

The state government, in a statement, reiterated its commitment to addressing the waste management challenge, noting that although Lagos generates one of the highest volumes of refuse in Africa, it also has the capacity to manage it effectively.

Officials assured residents that the current environmental concerns are temporary and that ongoing interventions would soon restore full cleanliness and order across the state.