Lagos residents decry irregular waste collection
Daniella Okwundu Asomugha
Residents in some parts of Lagos have expressed dissatisfaction with the irregular collection of refuse, saying the development has contributed to the accumulation of waste in some areas.
Some of the residents, who spoke on the state of waste management in their communities, said waste collection had become less frequent, while some also complained about dirty markets and surroundings.
A resident who spoke on the development said the situation was particularly noticeable around the Ajegunle and market areas, adding that Boundary Market was also badly affected by accumulated refuse.
According to the resident, officials of the State government no longer evacuate waste as regularly as they did in the past.
“They used to come every week, but now they come like once in a month,” the resident said.
The resident also expressed dissatisfaction with the frequency of the service, saying the irregular collection was affecting the cleanliness of the area.
Another resident, however, gave a different account, saying the situation had improved slightly compared with what it used to be.
The resident said officials had complained that the place where refuse was previously taken for dumping had been sold, making it difficult for them to dispose of the waste.
According to the respondent, it was unclear whether the dumpsite had been sold to a private company or a government establishment.
“For them to come and be packing those refuse, where will they now put it? Nowhere to dump it,” the resident said.
The respondent, however, acknowledged that waste management had improved “a little bit” compared with the situation previously experienced.
Another resident who preferred anonymity noted, “They don’t come like before again. It’s now once in every three weeks,” the respondent said.
The differing accounts point to uneven experiences with waste collection, with some residents reporting a decline in the frequency of evacuation and others acknowledging some improvement.
The residents called for more regular waste evacuation to prevent refuse from accumulating in residential areas and markets.
For them, the effectiveness of waste management is ultimately measured not by assurances, but by how regularly refuse is removed from their streets and communities.
