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Lagos State engages 20 physically challenged persons as bridge sweepers

By Bertram Nwannekanma and Margaret Mwantok
03 October 2019   |   4:10 am
Poised to empower and integrate physically challenged persons in the state’s vision of a cleaner and livable environment, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has engaged...

Firm sweeps street to mark World Cleanup Day
Poised to empower and integrate physically challenged persons in the state’s vision of a cleaner and livable environment, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has engaged the services of 20 challenged persons across the state. The effort, which will see the physically challenged persons work as sweepers of pedestrian bridges, is the agency’s latest move to rid Lagos of waste.

Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the new drive has necessitated the need to engage all stakeholders, including physically challenged persons. “The cleanliness of Lagos is a collective responsibility. We need all hands to be on deck to help us realize our vision of building a cleaner city, which we will all be proud of. That is why we have decided to engage these special sweepers to play their own part in achieving this”, he said.

Gbadegesin pointed out that LAWMA had engaged the services of the disabled sweepers, instead of leaving them to beg on the streets, adding that they would be assigned to clean various pedestrian bridges in the state, such as Ojota new bridge, Alausa Secretariat bridge, Ikeja Along bridge, CMS bridge, Palm Groove bridge, Oshodi Oke bridge, Anthony bus stop among others.

He said: “We have mapped out pedestrian bridges where they will be operating. They will ensure that those locations are always cleaned up during the day.”

The LAWMA boss noted that 20 of them have been employed by the authority, with plans to scale it up. He implored residents to support the efforts of government at restoring environmental dignity, adding that the authority would not rest on its oars until effective sanitation was entrenched in every part of the metropolis.

Meanwhile, driven by three of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Good Health and Well Being (Goal 3); Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6) and Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal11), an environmental consultancy company in Nigeria has commemorated the 2019 World Cleanup Day (WCD) in partnership with LAWMA by engaging in a sensitization on the importance of imbibing good environmental management practices while cleaning up Otunba Jobi Fele Way in Alausa, Lagos.

Highlighting the commitment towards waste management , the Executive Director of Ampak Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Kemi Ajakaiye emphasised that waste collection and disposal were just one fraction of the enormous yet crucial responsibility of managing the environment. According to her, waste management should be targeted at ensuring resource efficiency through the application of sustainable solutions that minimize waste generation.

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