Lagos test-runs cleaner initiatives in 3,000 spots

Towards ensuring a hygienic environment for residents, the Lagos State Government has identified about 3,000 spots to drive its new Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).

The State’s Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Samuel Adejare, who disclosed this shortly after the launch of Visionscape facility in Ogudu, said operators are to move to the spots and remove the mounting refuse free of charge as well as police them to ensure sanity in the area.

He said the evolution of the initaitive remains the solution to the problems of solid waste management in the State and expressed happiness that modern trucks would be deployed for waste collection in Lagos, while cleaning of the waterways will be more efficient with the inauguration of Marine Waste Collection at Ebute-Ero, Lagos.

The Commissioner expressed optimism that the mounting refuse in various part of the metropolis which was as a result of Private Waste Managers in the State to stop work, will soon be resolved. According to him, the need to bring about revolution in the solid waste management was born out of the failure of the past, as the old system was not working due to lack of money and technology.

On the lingering suit filed by the PSP Operators against the initiative, Adejare said steps are on to resolve the matter amicably as the State government does not have any intention to sack them. Government, he said, is ready to integrating them in the new plan for cleaner Lagos.

He explained that the delay on the kick off of the initiative was to ensure that adequate planning was put in place to ensure the success of the project.
According to him, the actual launch of the initiative will take place in matters of weeks, as many of the equipment will soon arrive.

“We are e ready for the reforms to ensure that Lagos is not dirty”, he said.
The Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) was established by the Lagos State Government to address, enforce and regulate the challenges in the solid waste management systems within Lagos State.

The Visionscape depots will oversee and provide maintenance services for the company’s multidimensional fleet. The Visionscape waste management vehicles include walking-floor trailers, compactors, tippers, skips, tricycles, in addition to operational vehicles, which will all be embedded wi­­th innovative radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Visionscape West Africa, Mr. John Irvine, said the new Ogudu depot is the result of extensive collaboration between our technical and planning teams and LAWMA and will fully incorporates key safety features including maintenance workshops that will offer 24-hour fleet maintenance service for the waste management vehicles.

The depots, he said will also be used for specialist training which each driver must undergo in order to drive any vehicles in the fleet.”

The second phase of the plan will be the door to door collection service which is expected to commence in the 4th quarter of 2017.

The Visionscape’s Executive Director, Mr. Harry Ackerman thanked the Lagos State Government for partnering with their company, adding that “Operation Deep Clean” being launched was their first implementation strategy which will be followed by other innovative solutions like the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative ,“Earn for the Earth” designed to empower waste pickers by incorporating them in the waste value chain.

He said the company had in the last twelve months completed the mapping of Lagos State.

He disclosed that the findings will help Visionscape to design tailor made strategies to tackle waste collection in difficult terrains through the use of tricycles, barges and night operations.

Also the Head, Corporate Communications and Corporate Services, Visionscape, Motunrayo Elias said the company is noted for its tailor made solution for cities and therefore has taken into consideration the peculiarity of various parts of the State.

According to her, the company will deploy all kinds of vehicles in various parts of the state including the riverine areas as the city has already been mapped to ensure successful operation. She disclosed that an incentive programmes will be created for customers to make them buy the initiative.

The company, she said will deployed all kinds of vehicles suitable for each location with an option of working at night to ensure the success of the scheme.

For efficient collection and disposal operations, she said three Transfer Loading Stations/Material Recovery Facilities have been concessioned at Agege, Oshodi and Simpson and three Waste Depots at Mushin, Ogudu and Simpson with the aim of rehabilitating, remodeling and retrofitting them to world class standard.

She added that Engineered Sanitary/Engineered Hazardous Landfills are being constructed in different locations across Lagos State under the Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (BFOT) model.