LAWMA Academy bags waste forum award

The academic arm of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has received an award as ‘Government Agency of the Year’, at the 3rd edition of Lagos Waste Forum, organised by Statewide Waste and Environmental Education Programme (SWEEP) Foundation, at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.

Wife of Lagos State governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who had earlier declared the event open, commended the foundation, for sustaining their environmental advocacy, which they began three years ago.

She said: “I attended your inaugural event three years ago and it was so impressive. I am happy you have sustained the good environmental sustainability advocacy work, which has already made you a champion in Surulere area. I challenge you to replicate the good impact in other parts of Lagos State. I am also considering going into full-scale recycling business someday.”

Commenting on the LAWMA Academy Award, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, represented by the Executive Director, Finance, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, expressed delight with the award.

He showered encomiums on the foundation, for recognising the modest contribution of the Academy to environmental education and advocacy.

He noted that the unit was established just over a year ago, with the mandate of teaching waste management, as well as environmental care and sustainability to youths and children.

He said: “We are happy that just over one year in existence, the impact of LAWMA Academy is already being felt. Our intention is to pass knowledge of waste management and environmental sustainability to children and youths, through a well designed and articulated curriculum. We are happy that it is gradually making an impact and recognition of this, is what has given birth to this award.”

We thank the SWEEP Foundation for this lasting honour.”

The LAWMA boss enjoined Lagosians, to tap the huge economic potential in recycling, and to embrace the twin-bin initiative of the Agency, to solve waste management challenges in the Lagos metropolis.

According to him, “LAWMA as an agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating and ensuring proper waste management, whose community advocacy has visited over 30 LCDAs, sensitizing people on the need to key into recycling by separating their waste at source.

“Recycling is the way to go and that is a cause we champion in LAWMA. When we reduce the waste that goes to the landfills, we will have a saner and safer environment.

“All organised estates have been advised to acquire bins, so as to separate organic waste from recyclables, before PSP comes for evacuation and by so doing, their waste bills will be discounted by 15 per cent”.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Tajudeen Gaji, commended the Foundation for its result-orientated environmental sustainability advocacy, promising that the government would continue to fulfill its own part of the bargain, for a people-friendly environment.

Mr. Ola Oresanya, a former Managing Director of LAWMA and now the Special Adviser on Environment to Ogun State Governor, noted that the recycling space harboured abundant economic potential, urging people to launch in, to combat unemployment and poverty.