OPEN LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, GOVERNOR AKINWUNMI AMBODE, ON WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LAGOS STATE.
OGUNOJEMITE BOLAJI (MSc. Environmental Management)
08111654458; bojemite@gmail.com

Your Excellency Sir, one of the most distinctive features of waste is that a significant part of today’s economy revolves around it and the current products we are consuming will give birth to more waste with ever changing composition and characteristics. Due to population expansion it is more definite that the quantity of waste produced would increase. It is evident that improper management of waste creates a big problem to the ecosystem and even more problems to its inhabitants. Many of such problems include many common infections and diseases caused by poor sanitation and the unappealing site of waste that degrades our environment as seen recently in Lagos State.

In a response, the executive governor of Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has taken vital steps to tackle the significant problems improper waste management poses. The State has witnessed major shakeup in the Ministry of Environment that has seen the creation of new agencies and the reallocation of roles to these agencies. Furthermore, an environmental utility group, Visionscape Group, was charged with the responsibility of managing the collection and disposal of waste in the State. This however has created without any doubt a bane and array of environmental issues in the state’s waste management. Heaps of refuse and garbage have been seen to be on an increase on the streets of Lagos. Improper disposal of waste in Lagos has become an even bigger issue to the government and the general public.

One would have thought that this highly touted environmental utility group would have hit the ground running, radically impacting and improving on the status quo already practised by introducing environmental initiatives such as proper recycling and reuse scheme, encouraging waste reduction and providing greener alternatives to the use of dumpsites as seen in other parts of the world . However, to my astonishment and to the surprise of many of the good people of Lagos State, we have seen a furtherance of the abysmal practice of carting waste to dumpsite. The impacts of managing waste using dumpsites are inexhaustible and with the recent fire that engulfed the Olusosun Dumpsite at Ojota, we all can agree for a fact that the people of Lagos are already directly affected by these impacts.

There have been so many critics of this government policy on waste management. These critical observation made by Lagosians obviously is the position of a people that has seen eight years of governance that seemed to effortlessly manage waste and kept Lagos quite clean. Hence, it is therefore not out of place to criticise this current situation, but it is totally out of place to criticise without proffering workable solutions that could effectively tackle the issues and its associating impacts. I neither criticize nor blame this government for the use of dumpsite and its accumulated impacts on the environment but it is rather unfortunate that the recent policies formulated and steps taken to improve environmental management in the state has not yielded its desired results.

Undoubtedly, implementing environmental initiatives in a community or state might be cumbersome to achieve. It is of the opinion that initiating environmental initiatives in a State like Lagos would be grandiose because of its large and mixed population of literates and the not so educated. Take for instance, implementing a recycling scheme at Ikoyi or Lekki would be easier to achieve than executing the same in Ajegunle or Mushin. This may or may not be entirely correct but policies can be implemented successfully with or without proper education on the part of the populace. Hence, the million dollar question would be how can Lagos state implement and execute these green initiatives that would make our communities cleaner and even more hygienic to live in?

To begin with, it is important to note that waste disposal and management is directly proportional to the behavioural pattern adopted and exhibited by the populace. Hence, we must implement “Behavioural Change” strategies using radical approaches to achieve this. A person’s behaviour is influenced by various factors ranging from physical, social, psychological, reflective and instinctive aspects. Moreover, identification of Legislations, intervention acts and policy guidelines, and their implementation should be in place to change people’s behaviour. This will require cooperation from the government, industries, organisation and individuals to achieve. Therefore, measures to combat the increasing urban waste management issues by changing the ignorant behaviours of people are required at individual, household, community and institution levels. It is essential to design programs or strategies aiming at different groups according to age, gender, socio-economic position and levels of current waste management activity.

One of such strategies is to introduce a “Waste Recycling and Reduction Act” which will mandate that individuals or organizations are required to comply and cooperate with waste segregation, reduction, reuse and recycling initiatives by an authority or authorized service provider. These programs or strategies should be aimed at different groups according to age, gender, socio-economic position and levels of current waste management activities.

One of the major waste management issues affecting the State is the consistent consumption of once use plastic bags and plastic bottles otherwise known as “Pet Bottles”. As an environmentalist the most practicable solution would be a call to prohibit the production of once use plastic bags and plastic bottles as seen in Russia, Karnataka (India), San Francisco (U.S.A), France and other developed and developing countries. Rwanda’s capital, Kigali in 2016 was declared by United Nations as the most beautiful city in Africa and the third greenest city in the world. This was achieved by a total ban of plastic bags production and regulating plastic bottles usage in the city. However, one must also consider the economic disadvantage a total ban of once use plastic bags and bottles would have on Lagosians at a time like this that the economy is already stressed.

Therefore, to successfully actualise the purpose of enacting a Recycling and Reuse Act, the provision of recycling infrastructures by the government and encouraging private and corporate investors to invest in building recycling facilities to accommodate and properly process recyclable waste such as plastics, metals and paper or cardboard is needed. Furthermore, the act should also mandate manufacturers to utilise a percentage of recycled materials as part of their production process particularly in the plastic, metal and paper industry. In recent times, recycled plastics have been used to produce asphalt for road construction and are gaining more acceptances globally. Biodegradable waste (organics including plant and animal waste) are sources of methane gas when decomposed in a bio-digester. Methane gas can be upgraded to Bio-methane which is a potent energy source.

The top-down method of passing information and education from governments to communities might be productive if there is good relationship between the governing authorities, waste service providers and communities. People might feel like they are being excluded from discussions having local significances if they are not consulted. Proper communication and awareness of the importance of the initiative should be done to apprise and enlighten the general public. All Stake holders involved should be made to educate their personnel on the new Act. The Act should seek to target all sectors of the economy attaching utmost importance to the educational sector as it seeks to broaden information.

The UK’s Cabinet Office (2002) research indicates that school and TV campaigns relating to waste management proved to be successful in raising awareness and interest amongst students. The kids are likely to pressurize or educate their families about proper waste management practices, effectively becoming ‘advocates’ of environmental change in households. Hence, education about positive behaviour towards waste management through formal schooling for children is the most common channel to change people’s attitudes. Waste management should be practiced in school so that students are aware of the issue and get habituated to the practice. Mass media campaigns are used to pass messages to large population through the use of existing media such as television, radio, newspaper and the social media. Mass media promises a great deal in disseminating focused messages to large audiences repeatedly, over time, in an incidental manner.

To promote and actively involve members of the public in this initiative, target participants should be selected and involved in the decision making processes. The implementing agency should establish a separate committee to organize and coordinate the campaign and related events. The committee’s duties and responsibilities, power and rights must be clearly highlighted with clear accountability and transparency. There must also be clear cut rules and regulations to establish proper work functions of the committee.

In conclusion, since solutions to waste problem in a community like ours needs viewpoints from diverse perspectives and more importantly in efforts to change the behaviour of Lagosians, it is essential to employ both regulatory measures and impart awareness in them. This demands a unique approach that aims to identify and resolve the root problems of our waste. In this regard, the above measures are highly recommended for a better living. We must start doing all we can to better manage our waste. This approach ranges from awareness campaigns to inspection of the localities to punishing the defaulters. I also would volunteer myself to assist in the propagation and imparting the knowledge of the advantages in encouraging a recycling and reuse scheme in our State. Your Excellency, in concise, the following measures should be strictly considered by the State Government to ensure a cleaner and better environment for its people;
Awareness on waste management and the implications for improper disposal must be instilled in our people starting from children to the aged.
Though aware if people fail to act according to their awareness, they must be punished and for this, appropriate legal tools must be formulated and established.
These legal tools must be used effectively and continual monitoring must be ensured.
There must be better collaborations among different groups and stakeholders to manage the waste.
Appropriate infrastructures for better waste management must be provided and built by the competent authority.
There are many aspects to be taken care but the above ones are some of the most effective in a society like ours.