Experts urge residents to see waste as resource
As part of efforts to improve environmental sanitation and sustainability in the communities, waste management experts have urged residents to begin to see waste as a valuable resource rather than
- By Udeh Onyebuchi
As part of efforts to improve environmental sanitation and sustainability in the communities, waste management experts have urged residents to begin to see waste as a valuable resource rather than mere refuse.
The call was made at a meeting on waste management & environmental sustainability between Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria and Orile Agege LCDA. where private sector participants (PSPs) got soft loans to strengthen waste collection.
National President, Olubenga Adebola, said a shift in public mindset is critical to addressing the country’s waste challenges.
“Waste is not waste unless you waste it. People should see waste as a resource,” he said, noting modern waste management involves converting refuse into useful raw materials.
Adebola stressed the need for professionalism, access to capital, and option of modern technologies in the sector, adding collaborations with institutions as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are ongoing to improve capacity nationwide.
He said effective waste management requires involvement of all, including governments, operators, and residents.
Earlier, Chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, Idowu Abiodun, said the council’s intervention was aimed at strengthening the system that keeps the environment clean and residents healthy.
He said six PSP operators got N12 million each as interest-free loans to support them, improve efficiency, and enhance service.
He explained that the loans are to be repaid over a 12-month period after a one-month grace period.
Abiodun said the initiative followed extensive consultations with Community Development Committees (CDCs), Community Development Associations (CDAs), the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and other stakeholders to address sanitation challenges in the area.
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He noted that enforcement measures have also been introduced to ensure compliance, including sanctions against residents who fail to properly dispose of waste or pay for collection services.
“There is now an agreement that no household should be indebted for waste services once collection is properly carried out,” he said.
The chairman added that the council has also put in place monitoring mechanisms to ensure that PSP operators meet their obligations, following complaints from residents about service delivery.
A beneficiary, Otunba Oladejo, described the initiative as unprecedented, noting that access to funding would help operators improve their operations.
He, however, identified poor payment compliance by some residents as a major challenge, expressing optimism that planned enforcement would improve revenue collection and service delivery.
The programme, stakeholders said, marks a step toward improving environmental sanitation, while promoting a broader shift toward viewing waste as an economic resource.
