TheCable

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) says the agency is considering a 50 percent increase in the waste collection bill for residents of the state.

Ibrahim Odumboni, managing director of LAWMA, announced the development on Wednesday at a media briefing in Lagos.

Odumboni said the proposed price increase is due to the high cost of operations by private sector participants (PSP).

According to him, the cost of diesel used by PSP operators increased from N278 per litre in January to about N875, representing 300 percent increment.

”We are in the process of having an extensive pricing review for PSP services offered to the households, knowing full well the economic reality,” he said.

”Also, we are not introducing any change that will turn away consumers of our product.

”While the high cost is about 300 percent, we are proposing 50 percent increase across board.”

Odumboni said the state is providing additional subsidy on diesel for PSPs, adding that Lagos generates 13,000 metric tonnes of wastes daily, and the waste collection trucks are run with diesel.

He appealed to Lagos residents to patronise PSP operators instead of the illegal cart pushers, saying such persons dump refuse indiscriminately.

Odumboni said the agency is also considering the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) to power PSP trucks to address the problem of high energy cost.

He warned that households found to be without waste bins risk sanction from October 1, adding that it is wrong for a compound of several houses to have just one waste bin.

”If you don’t have a bin from October 1, you may be prosecuted,” he said.

According to him, sanitary officers will go round from house to house to advocate on the importance of adopting a bin and sorting of wastes.

According to him, the agency is working on the creation of transfer loading stations (TLS) in all the LGAs of the state, for fast and smooth evacuation of waste around the metropolis.

In his remarks, David Oriyomi, president of Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), said the high cost of diesel is negatively affecting their operations.

He thanked the governor for the subsidy offered to PSP operators, adding that service charges need to be reviewed to reflect current economic realities.