The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has launched a major operation to clear accumulated solid waste from the Alaba Rago area along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, a critical step toward restoring environmental sanity in a notorious dumping hotspot.
The operation, confirmed by LAWMA Managing Director Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin in a statement on Sunday, involves deploying specialized heavy machinery and sanitation crews. The primary objective is to dismantle illegal refuse dumps and improve public sanitation along the heavily trafficked transport corridor. The cleanup scope extends to Okokomaiko and the median strip near Lagos State University (LASU), both identified as priority zones requiring urgent intervention due to persistent illegal dumping.
According to Gbadegesin, the evacuation will proceed in a systematic, phased manner, starting from the Agric Bus Stop and progressing toward Mile 2. This methodical approach aims to ensure comprehensive waste removal across the entire corridor and mitigate associated public health risks, including vector breeding and water contamination.
The initiative is a component of LAWMA’s integrated sanitation strategy for the state. Beyond immediate physical removal, the strategy encompasses continuous site monitoring, enhanced collaboration with local stakeholders and community leaders, public awareness drives on proper waste disposal, and stricter enforcement of the state’s waste management regulations against offenders.
Authorities are urging residents, market traders, and motorists to comply with approved waste disposal protocols and support the sustained effort. They emphasize that long-term success depends on collective responsibility to prevent reaccumulation. The cleanup targets a chronic issue that has marred the aesthetics and hygiene of one of Lagos’s busiest arterial roads, impacting both commuters and adjacent communities. Continued enforcement and public cooperation will be pivotal in maintaining the gains of this large-scale intervention.
