What Lagos Cart Pushers Keep Will Shock You – LAWMA Boss

Over 400 Carts Destroyed As LAWMA Tags Pushers Security Threat
LAWMA Destroys 400 Carts, Says Cart Pushers Constitute Security Challenge

EDITOR’S PICK:

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has destroyed more than 400 carts seized from pushers, who violates the state’s environmental laws by serially dumping waste at unauthorised locations across the city.

Speaking while the carts were being destroyed at its Ogudu facility, the LAWMA Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, said the exercise which would be a continuous one, and was necessary to weaken the ability of the cart pushers to return to business, and to decimate the cart population defacing the cityscape.

While pointing out that the activities of cart pushers across the Lagos metropolis remain prohibited, he observed that cart pushers posed a threat not only to environmental sustainability but to the security of residents.

Odumboni pointed out that many of the cart pushers move around with dangerous weapons like knives, machetes and others, to perpetrate criminal activities.

His words, “Cart pushers are about the biggest threat to our effort at attaining environmental sustainability. We will not allow anyone or group of persons to derail the ongoing efforts to make the environment better. Criminal elements have hidden under this guise to carry out heinous crimes. If there are no carts to push, they will get other jobs.

“They pose as much threat to the environment as to the security of the citizens. It will shock you to know that many of them keep weapons like knives, machetes, etc, in their carts to attack and dispossess unsuspecting persons when the opportunity presents itself. One of such cart pusher was tried and jailed last week, having been apprehended at Victoria Island, vandalising and stealing government’s iron rods. There have been many reported cases of theft of movable items from people’s compounds traced to them.”

He disclosed that there is an opportunity for repentant cart-pushers to be registered with LAWMA and be given proper orientation, and receive training as pickers and offtakers of recyclables, working hand in glove with other stakeholders in the waste management chain.

The LAWMA boss maintained that government was not interested in taking away their means of livelihood, which however has to be within the confines of the law.

He reiterated the agency’s total commitment to making the State’s city space an environment- friendly one, urging residents to join the Authority’s quest for a cleaner Lagos by shunning improper waste disposal, paying their waste bill and patronising assigned PSP operators.

Also commenting, President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, AWAMN, Mr. David Oriyomi, commended the state government’s steady support for the association, promising a new era of fruitful collaboration with LAWMA.

FURTHER READING:

The exercise was witnessed by LAWMA’s Executive Director Finance, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi; Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Olohunwa Tijani; Head, Enforcement unit, Mr. Idowu Sanni; and other stakeholders.

Click to watch our video of the week:

Sylvester Ugwuanyi