Concerns as traders turn Agege motor road to dumpsite

Ajeromi/Ifelodun residents lament indiscriminate dumping of refuse

There is concern over indiscriminate dumping of refuse in Agege motor road by Oshodi market men and women, who have turned the road into a dumpsite, despite the presence of large waste bins provided by Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

Commuters and motorists are worried that the attitude has continued, thereby resulting in traffic, which makes it difficult for pedestrians to walk by the roadside.

The deplorable sight, they said has also defaced the multi-billion naira Oshodi interchange, as dirt encircles it, thereby giving it unpleasant look and smell.

The Guardian learnt that whenever it rains, the road always gets flooded and waste floats on water, making it almost difficult for motorists and pedestrians to ply.

A commuter, Philip Okoye, said: “Traders and cart pushers are spoiling the road by dumping refuse indiscriminately. Notwithstanding the fact that refuse bins are kept by the roadside for their use, they still dump refuse on the road. This makes the road impassable and smelly for pedestrians.”  
 
A motorist also complained that refuse had overtaken part of the road, thereby narrowing the lane.
 According to him, this is one of the reasons for traffic on Agege motor road.
 
Similarly, residents of have lamented indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the community. The Guardian gathered that cart pushers have turned areas like Okoya road, Boundary Market, Amukoko, Alaba-Rago Market, among others, to dumpsites, which is causing health and environmental hazards.
 
A resident in the Boundary area, Momodu Abudu, said it is now common to see used household items, construction waste and other used products dumped by the roadside and non-designated dumping sites, which put the community at risk of  flood and diseases.
   
He said: “The refuse hinders free movement as it takes part of the road, causing traffic and making it difficult for traders to sell their goods.”  Lamenting the rate at which people dump refuse on the road, another resident, Ebi Ikelamon, said it blocks the drainage system, which causes flood and breeds rodents and mosquitoes. She asked for urgent government intervention.
   
Responding, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of LAWMA, Ibrahim Odumboni, said  Agege motor road is serviced  by the Central I district.
 
According to him, the area is serviced two times a day at the   minimum, but refuse comes to the road constantly because the residents neither engage in containerisation, nor wait for PSP to come and pick up their waste.

 “In Ajeromi Council, all PSP operators are on ground and performing above average. However, on Malu Road, recalcitrant residents and residents of barracks around the area  bring their waste to the road. In Ifelodun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), there is a general issue of people not paying for waste and the compliance level for payment is about 5per cent. Presently, residents of Apaka do not want to pay for waste at all. No PSP wants that area as their slot.
 
“Dumping of refuse on the road median is attitudinal and perpetrated by residents who either do not have containers for waste storage or are unwilling to pay for waste service. We make efforts to ensure PSP operators clear these black spots and also collect waste from every household, yet some residents will refuse to patronise assigned PSP. Some of them are being taken to court and we hope this action as well as the ongoing advocacy program will yield positive results.
 
“I also hope the guilty ones know if caught patronising cart pushers that have been outlawed in the state, they will be made to face the full wrath of the law. Both the owner and those who patronise are all liable.”