The Akinwumi Ambode-led administration in Lagos State has finally found solution to the perennial environmental crisis threatening the megacity status of the commercial city with the newly introduced fundamental environmental reforms, writes Raheem Akingbolu
For years, Lagos residents have craven for a cleaner megacity and a serene environment. Among other unpleasant hazards, arbitrary collections of refuse and street trading have for a long time remained a burden on the commercial city. Aside from the nauseating image this is giving the state, daylight robbers, who either pretend to be refuse collectors or traders on the highways, are increasing every passing second.
As a result of this, many organisations and individuals have since been campaigning for a pragmatic measure to transform the state.
Experts in the health sector and other stakeholders, who know the implication of having heaps of refuse in residential areas, are also crying out loud on the need for a lasting solution to the perennial environmental challenges. Of course, efforts were made and machineries were put in top gear by successive administrations to give the city an appealing look that everybody could be proud of but the garbage is still on the streets. Lately, it was discovered that previous measures could only work in the interim, especially as most of the companies handling the collection of the waste are either not well equipped or lack the required experience to handle the population.
Enters new environmental reforms
However, the current administration in the state appears to have finally found solution to the challenge, with the recent unveiling of fundamental environmental reforms, which are expected to take care of all factors that could aid the abnormal situation. This is directly in line with the state’s Cleaner Lagos Initiative, which is concerned with addressing the challenges in the solid waste management system in the state. With the initiative, government is poised to protect the environment, human health and social living standards of Lagos residents by promoting a harmonised and holistic approach to the challenges, thereby improving operational efficiency.
Under the new reform, the state has leveraged its newly established Environmental Management and Protection Law to convert one of its agencies, KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline) into the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps Agency. The new agency will spearhead enforcement of the penalties that will be imposed on violators of its new environmental laws as well as demolishing all illegal structures on sewage systems.
According to the new law, KAI turned LASECORPS will be tasked with monitoring and maintaining surveillance along the highways, streets and public drainages, canals, markets and parks and will have the primary responsibility of ensuring that citizens fulfill their civic duty by paying the Public Utilities Levy- a property-based charge payable by property occupants for the management of solid and liquid waste, wastewater and environmental intervention for Lagos State.
Another strong highlight of the new law is the prohibition of street trading as it specifically stated that “It is an offence to engage in street trading along the major highways and streets of Lagos and sell in an unapproved market in Lagos while every owner, tenant and occupier of any shop, kiosks, space or stall in any market within the state shall on a regular basis ensure the cleanliness of his space.”
In a similar vein, it is now mandatory for every commercial vehicle in Lagos State to carry a litterbin for the use of the passengers so that passengers will not throw waste onto the road from the vehicle. “If the driver fails to provide the litter bin, the driver will also be penalised alongside the passenger or the occupier of the vehicle who commits the offence,” stated the law.
The government is also planning a clampdown on all illegal structures on sewage systems without approval as such structures will be demolished. Also in the new law, anyone who wants to a sink borehole or any structure connected with the supply of water must obtain permit from the office of drainage services.
Speaking at the signing of the new Environmental Bill recently, Ambode said; “Compliance is the key. The burden of the cost of providing these services will remain low if everyone does his or her part and pays the Public Utilities Levy.”
Speaking further, the governor said, “With the newly positioned LASECORPS, we will work within the communities to enforce the new laws. The state will have a zero-tolerance policy for offenders because simply put, disregarding payment of your PUL or flouting the new regulations ultimately promotes activities that lead to the loss of lives.”
He said further that “the Public Utility Levy which is to replace all service fees previously paid to the waste management authorities is an annual charge that will take effect as the rollout commences. We have worked closely with the public in determining the rates and have succeeded in keeping this levy relatively low. The PUL will be a major contribution to the state’s ongoing efforts to address severe challenges that are unique to Lagos because of rising urbanisation. The money will be held in the Environmental Trust Fund and managed meticulously by a Board of independent, SEC regulated trustees.”
In the area of performance evaluations and remunerations, the new reform has indicated that LASECORPS’s performance will be tied directly to the number of actionable fines they issue for non-compliance. For effectiveness, the Environmental Corps will be supported by PUMAU (Public Utilities Monitoring Assurance Unit) a unit that will have oversight responsibility by using innovative monitoring tools to ensure the new standards are effectively enforced.
The Lagos State Government said defaulters of these laws would face stiff penalties from the government which include heavy fines ranging from N250, 000 to N5, 000,000 and/or imprisonment.
“The primary driver of the new bill and the initiatives that we have undertaken is not just cosmetic but to save lives. Therefore, we will unapologetically prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law. We will make CEOs accountable, from the very top to the bottom, and the law is very specific about the consequences of non-compliance,” Ambode said.
Execution and involvement of global companies
Meanwhile, in place of the existing arrangement with some contractors who have been found wanting in discharging their responsibilities as a result of poor equipment and experience needed to confront Lagos population, government has assembled a consortium of international companies that are reputed to have been involved in the cleaning of major cities of the world. The companies include; Visionscape –CSH Environmental, Wastecare Solutions and Resources Management Limited. Others are; VS Industries –Coseco/Ships, ABC Sanitation Taylor Bins and Bespoke Management and Maintenance Services –Interwaste.
Visionscape for instance is a globally acclaimed leading waste management company which has pledged its support to help transform Lagos, the 5th largest economy in Africa, to one of Africa’s cleanest megacities. Among the countries where the company has operated successfully are United Kingdom, United
Arab Emirates, India, Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi, Romania, Pakistan, Phillipines, Mali, Dominican Republic, and Morocco, just to mention but a few. As part of its strategy to collaborate with others to make Lagos the cleanest city in Africa, Visionscape will use a fully integrated waste management and recycling solutions targeted at achieving zero waste through reduction, recycling and reuse of wastes.
Farewell to dumping of toxic waste, air pollution
By signing into law the Environmental Management and Protection Bill, the state governor can be said to have secured the legal instrument it requires to turn into reality his vision of ensuring that every person living in Lagos lives in a decent, clean, safe and healthy environment.
If there is any beautiful thing about the new law, it is the empowerment it gives government to set up the Environmental Trust Fund. The trust fund, which will be chaired by the Commissioner for Environment, is aimed at promoting the development and sustenance of the state’s performance in managing its environment as it will create a system that can attract funds from persons, organisations and authorities in tackling environmental issues. The trust fund will also promote the creation of job opportunities for the youth in waste management and waste recycling among others.
In the newly promulgated law, no person or group of persons shall dump over any toxic waste capable of causing harm in the state and all emissions from vehicles, plants and equipment including generating plants in residential, commercial and industrial areas within the state must mandatorily meet air emission standard.
Similarly, the new law will ensure that no manufacturing of chemicals, lubricants, petroleum products, gases, quarry and cement, other than those used in construction, takes place in a residential premise. The law prescribed that any manufacturer of such items will procure an insurance policy from an approved insurance company.
Also, under the law, every owner or occupier of a facility who uses, stores, keeps and maintains underground storage tanks and surface storage tanks shall register such tanks with the enforcing authority while a facility monitoring and inspection exercise shall be carried out on all sites with surface or underground tanks periodically to determine the integrity of the facility involved while the soil test of the immediate environment shall be carried out as required.
A harvest of environmental benefits for residents
If things work out as planned, then Lagosians are in for a new day. From any angle one chooses to look at it, the details of how the newly enacted Environmental Management and Protection Bill by the Lagos State Government will transform the lives of everyone working or living in Lagos has started to take shape.
In addition to creating 27,500 new jobs, the new policy will fast track the process of metamorphosing Lagos State into a cleaner megacity by decisively tackling the problems of air and water pollution, preventing deceases and halting the deterioration of the environment to avert adverse effect on socio-economic activities.
The new policy has also made a very special provision for thousands of Community Sanitation Workers (CSWs) who will be directly employed to work on the scheme by making their salaries tax free.
Additionally, the new environmental regime will provide numerous insurance benefits including Life, Health, Accident and Injury cover to the 27,500 CSWs who will also enjoy a pension scheme. The brains behind this project have been smart enough to turn all the people who will work there into their brand ambassadors. You cannot underestimate the power of a happy work force.
In a carefully articulated strategy to enhance the quality of lives of the sanitation workers who will be saddled with the task of keeping Lagos clean, an arrangement has been made to also ensure that the sanitation workers will only work in their immediate communities, thereby eliminating transportation cost.
Admitting how precarious environmental sanitation issues have become in Lagos State, the state government said: “Lagos is at critical levels of pollution. We must change course because our children’s lives and future depend on it.
The state governor, Ambode expressed optimism that the new law would result in historic environmental victories for a state which over the years has struggled with effective management of the 10,000 metric tonnes of waste it generates daily.
At the signing ceremony, Ambode said, “I am delighted that our bill has been signed into law. Our major environmental laws are outdated and do not address our present-day challenges.”
Stressing the importance of the bill, Ambode said, “We exist in a world where the protection and preservation of public health and the environment have evolved and are primarily driven by data. We cannot compete if our laws are based on obsolete information.”
The governor commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for shelving their differences in the best overall interest of the state to align and pass the bill. “I know that the process of change may seem daunting at first but ultimately this shows that we can achieve a lot on our own and we can join with others for the common good of Lagos State. We have taken everyone along the value chain into consideration from the existing PSPs, to the cart pushers and the scavengers on the landfills. Everyone will be accommodated under this new environmental scheme,” he said.
Considering the benefits the new reform will bring to Lagos residents, one can conveniently conclude that a new Lagos has finally come.
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