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Despite massive advocacy campaigns by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority to sensitise residents on the tenets of effective waste management and proper waste disposal, to achieve a cleaner and healthier environment, motor parks operate without waste collection facilities, forcing commuters to engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse. SODIQ OJUROUNGBE reports

In the busy city of Lagos, where the struggle for survival is prioritised above all, lies a troubling situation that transcends the bounds of individual motor parks. Stretching from the crowded expanse of Iyana-Iba to the hubbub of Mile 2 and other major motor parks, the absence of waste bins has transformed these public spaces into desolate dumping grounds, painting a picture of neglect that hunts the city’s important areas.

Motor parks which serve as important transit points for thousands of commuters, now pose an insidious threat to the well-being of all who traverse these spaces due to lack of waste management infrastructure.

Lagos continues to produce a large quantity of waste without adequate mechanisms for managing it.

Walking through these public spaces, plastic bottles, food wrappers, and discarded newspapers were scattered haphazardly across the landscapes. The strong stench of decaying garbage intertwined with the fumes of idling vehicles, creating an oppressive atmosphere that clung to the crowded spaces like an unwelcome veil.

Findings by PUNCH Healthwise showed that despite these parks being the lifeblood of Lagos’ transportation network, they have also become a breeding ground for filth, disease, and neglect.

When our correspondent visited major motor parks including Obalende, Mile 2, Iyana-Oba, Oshodi, Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Berger, Iyana-Oworo, Ojota, and Ketu, it was discovered that the absence of proper waste disposal infrastructure is a ticking time bomb which threatened the health and well-being of millions of commuters who pass through these garages daily.


Systemic gaps

The Lagos State Government, through LAWMA, has repeatedly assured the public of its commitment to maintaining a cleaner city. In 2022, the agency announced plans to increase the deployment of waste bins in public spaces, including motor parks. However, three years later, these waste disposals are still missing in many of the major motor parks across the state.

The LAWMA Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, had during a recent stakeholders’ interactive forum revealed that the agency oversees waste transportation and treatment through partnerships with 420 PSPs, adding that the efforts were supplemented by sweeping services across major streets, managed by 16,361 street sweepers.

Annually, Lagos produces an estimated 5.46 million tonnes of waste with only about 40 per cent of what was generated collected and disposed of properly, while 60 per cent litter the streets and public spaces.

Despite the staggering figure of waste generated in the state daily, PUNCH Healthwise investigation revealed that the infrastructure to manage such a volume remains woefully inadequate, particularly in public spaces like motor parks.

During visits to some of the major motor parks in the state, our correspondent found out that there was no evidence of waste bins or regular waste collection. Instead, commuters and vendors continued to dump trash in gutters, on sidewalks, and in any available corner.

It was observed that hawkers selling food, beverages, and other goods to passengers contributed to the accumulation of waste. With nowhere to properly dispose of their trash, commuters and vendors resort to throwing waste onto the ground or into nearby drains.

While waste collection efforts had improved in some residential areas, PUNCH Healthwise discovered that public spaces like motor parks remained a challenge.

Different parks, similar problems

From Mile 2 to Iyana-Oba, Iyana-Ipaja to Agege, Obalende to Iyana-Oworo, and Ketu to Ojota, the story was the same. It was discovered that there was a trail of filth, neglect, and disregard for the environment in these motor parks.

Park after park, our correspondent observed that trash littered the ground, and gutters were clogged.

When PUNCH Healthwise visited Mile 2 motor park on January 21, it was discovered that the park was a mess, with trash littering every available surface. Not a single waste bin was found, leaving commuters and drivers to toss their trash on the ground.

It was observed that the gutters just by the Mile 2- Badagry expressway were clogged with dirt and trash, creating a breeding ground for disease-carrying pests.

It was also observed that drivers and traders burned their trash in makeshift fires, creating a haze of smoke that hung over the park like a pall.

The park’s leaders seemed unconcerned, more focused on the daily grind of transporting passengers than maintaining a clean and healthy environment.One of the drivers simply identified as Jamiu told our correspondent that they had to burn some of their waste daily, a practice that was not only harmful to the environment but also a health hazard for the commuters.

He said in Yoruba, “This is the only way we can reduce the waste here. You know this is a big park and keeping this waste can be dangerous. So, we decided to always burn them every evening so that we don’t have a pile-up of waste.

“Sweepers used to come here, but still we can’t control how people just throw waste here. If we had a waste bin, maybe it would have been a different ball game entirely.”

At Masamasa and Festac gates, it was observed that the parks there do not have waste bins as well. People were seen burning some of the dirt just like they did in Mile 2.

One of the traders at the park said, “We use cart pushers because we don’t really see LAWMA people on time. And for some of us, we just burned that dirt at night so that we don’t have a problem with the union people here.

“The union doesn’t want us to litter the environment and that is why they always want everywhere to be clean at least during the start of the day.”

It was also observed that some cart pushers come around to pick up some of the dirt and take it to an illegal dumping site around Peace Park in Festac where they dispose of it, and remove plastic bottles which they will sell before burning the ones that are not useful.

Our correspondent who toured the length of Mile 2 to Alakija saw more than four illegal dump sites where plastic bottles were removed and repackaged for selling, while other wastes were burned.

At Iyana-Oba, Agege, Ketu, Berger and Iyana-Ipaja motor parks, the situation was the same, there were no single waste bins, and the environment was littered with dirt and debris.

Plastic bottles and nylon bags covered the pavements, and food vendors, unable to find proper disposal points, resorted to dumping leftovers in gutters.

Also, used sachets of water and alcoholic drinks were sighted littering different parts of the parks.

It was observed that while the parks serve as critical points for movement and commerce, their unhygienic conditions threaten the very health of those who rely on them.

“I have been coming to this park for more than 10 years, and it’s only gotten worse.

“Nobody cares about us. We live with this dirt as if it’s normal. When the rains come, we know the sickness will follow,” said Gbenga Adebayo, a bus conductor at Iyana-Ipaja park

Speaking with a union leader at Iyana-Oba park, Rasaki Olaitan said efforts to waste have not been successful because of a lack of proper waste disposal.

“It is really difficult for us as a union to manage waste here because as you can see this is a convergence of larger people from different states and you cannot just ask them not to dispose of their waste.

“Although there is a PSP container at Iyana-Oba market which is not too far from here, how are we going to take our own waste there if there is no waste bin at our park? That is why people eat and just dump the used takeaway park, plastic bottles and others here,” he lamented.

At Agege, a passenger expressed displeasure over the lack of proper waste disposal at the park.

He said, “The park is still filthy, and it is even worse during the rainy season. The government needs to see having waste bins at parks as something important.

“In the past, you will see waste bins inside public vehicles and this helps in having proper waste management. I don’t know why the government did not make it compulsory, but they must go back to it now.”

At Iyana-Oworo, our correspondent observed that while there was no proper waste bin, sacks were used as waste containers.

Moving around the park, a corner at the park has become a dump site for the traders in the garage.

None of the traders or union leaders were ready to speak with PUNCH Healthwise when our correspondent approached them.

But from observation, the environment looked dirty, as plastic bottles and nylon littered the park.

But when our correspondent went to the Ojota park just behind the popular Ojota dump site, it was discovered that the environment looked clean despite not having a single waste bin.

Speaking with one of the union leaders, Tajudeen Madojutimi said the park ensures proper disposal of waste daily.

He also said they have a full-time sweeper who is always available to take care of the park and ensure the waste is disposed of when due.

He said, “We don’t allow people to throw waste here. We ensure proper waste management and we dispose of them as soon as we get it.

“We don’t have any government waste bin but you know our place is closer to the dumpsite, so it is easier for us to dispose of our waste.”

Availability of waste bins with filthy environment

When our correspondent visited Oshodi and Obalende, the story was different as waste disposals were sighted at the two parks.

Despite the waste bins at Obalende and Oshodi, it was observed that the environment still looked filthy, as dirt littered the garages.

At the BRT section of the Oshodi motor park, more than seven waste bins were sighted. Also, the park for buses heading to other states equally had four waste bins. But just a stone’s throw, a different story unfolded.

The two parks where yellow buses congregated were in poor condition, with the environment looking unkempt.

Not a single waste bin was sighted at these parks, as the ground was littered with discarded trash.

At one of the parks, a basket used as a waste bin was sighted at the two entrances filled with used styrofoam, plastic bottles and sachet water.

Our correspondent also observed commuters and drivers tossing their trash on the ground.

At Obalende, a PSP container was sighted but was filled with dirt and trash.

While it was clear that the park still had a long way to go in terms of waste management, the presence of the PSP container suggested that some effort was being made to address the issue.

Despite the PSP container being available, PUNCH Healthwise observed that dirt still littered the environment.

The environment looks similar to places without any waste disposal.

Speaking with our correspondent, one of the drivers simply identified as David said it takes more than four to five days before LAWMA comes around to dispose of the dirt inside the container.

“It is just like we don’t have any proper waste management because LAWMA doesn’t come here on time. It may take days before they come to pick it up,” he said,

Blame game

In many of the parks visited, the park officials who were also the union leaders claimed they were doing their best to keep the park clean, but the commuters were to blame for the trash and filth.

They lamented that passengers often abused the environment by dumping things not useful to them either inside a vehicle or at the park.

One of the union leaders at Ketu, Johnson Adeoye said, “Many of the time, it is the passengers that are responsible because they will enter a bus, eat gala and drink coke and just dump everything inside the bus. When the bus driver gets back to the park, he will sweep his vehicle and also dump everything there.

“So, when you look at it, you will realise that the passengers are the ones to be blamed for this. But I also believe if we have small waste bins inside our vehicles that will eradicate this.

“You cannot really blame us if you think the environment is not clean enough because we ensure that this place is cleaned every day, but can we caution passengers not to throw their waste? We cannot do anything about that except we have a proper waste disposal we want them to use.”

Dangers of improper waste disposal

The lack of proper waste management infrastructure in the parks was not just an environmental issue, but also a public health concern.

PUNCH Healthwise reports that the trash and filth that littered the parks were a breeding ground for diseases, and the commuters who used the parks every day were at risk of contracting illnesses.

According to the World Health Organisation, inadequate waste management is a major public health concern, particularly in urban areas.

WHO estimated that over 22 per cent of deaths in low- and middle-income countries are attributable to environmental factors, including inadequate waste management.

Similarly, a study published in The Journal said improper waste disposal can have serious environmental consequences, including contamination from industrial chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals.

The study highlighted the need for effective waste management strategies, including recycling, proper disposal, and reduction of plastic use, to mitigate the harmful effects of improper waste disposal on the environment and human health.

The study also found that improper waste disposal could result in habitat destruction, with waste piling up in natural areas and destroying habitats for wildlife.

Experts warn of impending doom

Environmental experts warned that poor waste management practices at motor parks may result in a catastrophic environmental disaster.

Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, the experts stressed that the country’s poor waste management practices are a major challenge that requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.

They warned that failure to address poor waste management practices in public places like motor parks could have severe consequences, including the spread of diseases, environmental degradation, and economic losses.

A professor of Polymer Chemistry at the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, Dosu Malomo, noted that the lack of proper waste management infrastructure in Lagos parks is a ticking time bomb, waiting to unleash a host of environmental and health disasters on the city.

“The government needs to take immediate action to address this issue. We need to have a comprehensive waste management policy in place, one that takes into account the unique challenges of Lagos parks,” he noted.

Malomo noted that the current situation, where waste is left to accumulate in parks, is not only an eyesore but also a breeding ground for diseases.

He added, “We are talking about a situation where people are exposed to all manner of diseases, from cholera to typhoid fever. It is a public health crisis waiting to happen.”

The professor stated that the consequences of poor waste management could also lead to the blockage of waterways, gutters, and drainage systems, which can lead to flooding and other environmental disasters.

According to the professor, a lack of effective waste management policy is a major contributor to the problem.

“We don’t have a good policy on waste management in this country. It is not just in Lagos, it is everywhere. It is an eyesore, and it’s not just in motor parks, but also on our streets and roads,” he said.

Malomo noted that the situation is worsened by the fact that many Nigerians have a culture of indiscriminate waste disposal.

“People eat in buses and throw the wrappers out of the window. They don’t care about the environment. It is a constitutive problem, and it is not just about the parks, but about our attitude towards waste disposal,” he stated.

The don advocated for a multi-faceted approach to addressing the issue, including the implementation of effective waste management policies, public education and awareness campaigns, and the provision of adequate waste disposal infrastructure.

“We need to change our attitude towards waste disposal. We need to make it a priority, and we need to hold our leaders accountable for ensuring that our environment is clean and healthy,” he urged.

Vanpascore:
Drastic steps will be taken soon, I trust Lagos State government.

Splashme:
Lagos is smelly

dogo568:
Very dirty state

MASTAkiLLAh:
Dutty people