The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a Special Task Force to address growing concerns over refuse accumulation and environmental violations in motor parks, bus stops and transport garages across the state.
The intervention team has been mandated to coordinate the immediate evacuation of waste from transport hubs as part of an intensified sanitation campaign approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The move follows a government directive ordering round-the-clock waste evacuation operations aimed at improving environmental cleanliness and restoring order across the state.
Speaking during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting with transport union leaders in Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the measure was necessitated by the persistent indiscriminate disposal of refuse in public spaces.
“Our beautiful city is being challenged by indiscriminate refuse disposal and environmental abuse. We cannot fold our arms while people dump waste on roads, medians and public spaces,” he said.
Osiyemi noted that while enforcement efforts would be intensified, collaboration with transport unions remains crucial because of their strong presence in parks and garages throughout Lagos.
He warned that anyone caught disposing of waste illegally would face sanctions and directed transport operators to keep their facilities clean, orderly and free from illegal trading activities and shanties.
“Our roads are being littered every day. Before you can enforce discipline outside, your own garages must be in order,” he added.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Sam Egube, described transport workers as key stakeholders in promoting security and environmental sustainability across the state.
“Transport workers are part of the security architecture of society. When you see something, say something,” he said.
Also speaking, Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, revealed that Lagos produces about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, underscoring the importance of efficient waste collection and disposal systems.
He appealed to transport operators to support the government’s sanitation efforts by ensuring refuse is taken to designated disposal sites rather than dumped along roads and in public areas.
“We need your support. Lagos is our home and we must keep it clean,” Gbadegesin said.
Former Special Adviser on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said the task force would collaborate with transport unions to enforce sanitation regulations, remove illegal structures and enhance safety and cleanliness along transport corridors.
Leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria expressed support for the initiative and called for continued engagement with relevant government agencies.
The state government maintained that despite Lagos generating one of the highest volumes of waste in Africa, ongoing interventions and stakeholder cooperation would help restore environmental order and improve cleanliness across the city.
